Want to get healthier?

It’s not as difficult as you may think. Working in good health habits can be as easy as exercising during commercial breaks when watching tv, cutting up veggies to have on hand for easy snacking or adding just one vegetable at mealtime.

It only takes a small start, according to  Healthier Tennessee, an initiative from the  Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness to encourage people across the state to take steps toward a healthy lifestyle.

Healthier Tennessee is a movement of people from all walks of life all across this great state banding together to improve our health

– healthiertn.com

Current statistics show Tennessee ranked as one of the unhealthiest states. That is changing due to the efforts of people determined to make a difference.

Stacy Baugues, senior regional director, Governor’s Foundation for Health and Wellness, and Kate Kennedy, senior neighborhoods director for the same organization, recently brought people together from Tennessee communities to share stories of how people in their individual necks of the woods are rallying together to push Tennessee into being one of the healthiest states.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily,” said Chad McCoige, representing Hamblen County’s “Healthy Hamblen” campaign.

Hamblen County became a Healthier Tennessee Community in 2017 after starting the program, Walk Across Hamblen.

McCoige encouraged other leaders to help create change in their communities that is easy for others to get involved in.

“Don’t make it too complicated,” he said.

Calling All Churches

Healthier Tennessee promotes health in many of the usual areas, like work places and communities, but it also carries the campaign into the church.

It touts the benefits of how a healthier congregation can further the church’s mission.  “Guiding members to better health can help you create a stronger, more involved congregation.” The Healthier Tennessee website area called, Small Starts for Worship, provides churches with tools designed specifically to help guide congregations in taking the steps to get healthier. The app and downloadable guide are easy to understand and easily accessed.

Leaders Getting Involved

“We must lead by example,” Tracy Green, wellness director for Greeneville, TN, emphasized the importance of leaders getting involved in the wellness campaign to help get others excited about it. She also said Greeneville’s mayor ran a 5K to show his constituents that it can be done.

Grundy County Mayor, Michael Brody, discovered the importance of being healthy, first hand. He decided that he wanted to be a leader who not only told people the importance of good health habits, but showed by example.

“You quickly find out how important health is in the community,” he said.

Brody told the other leaders that when he was first elected he was overweight and had a smoking habit. He started a diet and soon had people joining him in the “Walk with the Mayor” initiative in Grundy County. He said this, in turn, helped draw businesses and grant money to the city because they could see that the community was working to get healthier. Good health means better equipped employees.

Find the Tools to Help

Healthier Tennessee provides the tools, all you have to do is make a commitment to get started. A small start is all it takes, and that’s better than no start.

Find more information at healthiertn.com. There is also an area to register to receive tips and more information.