Healthy Hays gets its start

By NABIL SHAHEEN

Hays Daily News

As its title would imply, Healthy Hays 2010 hopes to get 2,010 people healthy in Hays in five years' time.

With enrollment having started Jan. 14, the program measures progress and keeps track of that progress by having patients retake the same tests they took the first day they enrolled.

“It's just one of those things where you get to the point in your life that if you don't start taking care of yourself no one else is going to,” said Pam Joy, Hays.

Joy is 49 years old and has been in the program since its inception. With a “health-conscious family” as she described it, Joy wanted to get back to where she once was.

Though she is not a member of the Center for Health Improvement, her daughter, who works there, keeps her informed of activities offered for non-members.

One such activity included a dance session in January.

“I found out that maybe I wasn't quite as in shape as I thought I was,” Joy said. “If they offer more things I hope everyone takes advantage of it.”

Joy works two different jobs among many other extracurricular activities around town.

But whenever she can squeeze in time, she walks on her treadmill about five times per week and goes to Curves for Women about three times per week.

Healthy Hays 2010 is not just about weight loss and training. As the “Move it or lose it” advertisement says, “we mean losing things like stress, tension, stiffness, dependency on medications and other negative things in your life that keep you from feeling good.”

With that, Joy has maintained a healthier diet as well.

“I try to eat healthier, and if I eat healthier than maybe the rest of the family will follow along,” she said.

Being one who loves to cook, that presented a tough challenge.

“I love to cook and try new recipes,” Joy said. “Not all those new recipes are healthy though.”

So the starches are avoided and the fruit and vegetable intake is increased. And, of course, more water — “gotta keep those wrinkles all puffed up,” she jokes.

The mother in an active family and what she assumes will be an even more active extended family, Joy started all of this just to keep up with life around her.

“I want to be active for the rest of my life,” she said. “I just wanted to stay healthy and my mom influenced me more than anything.”

Her mother had a stroke in September 2004 and has been in a state of paralysis ever since.

Though she does not know what caused the stroke, Joy said she knows there are things in her power that she needs to be doing.

“That in itself has made me want to stay healthy,” Joy said. “I want be the healthy grandma. I hope to get my husband more active, too. He's aware of all of this and if I can keep him as active as I am then we'll be good and grow old together.”

While she has always tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle, Joy said the 2010 program helps her gauge her success and almost forces her to stick to a plan.

“It just makes me more aware of the things I'm doing,” Joy said, “knowing that I have to report back in. I'm just at the age where I want to be healthy and stay healthy.”

As for the stress and tension that comes with Joy's life? She says managing it all would be great, but her natural approach has helped her more than anything.

“Stress management would be wonderful,” Joy said. “Things have just gone crazy. Everything is snowballing and some days you just take a big deep breath and go on to the next activity. I'm not a worry person. When it happens it happens and when I need to do it, I do it and that's it.”

The goal for all this is is just five years away in 2010 — “As quick as 2004 went, it's not very far down the line. I just want to maintain my body weight, flexibility, agility, strength and make sure I have a straight back.”

With all that Healthy Hays 2010 has to offer, Joy said there is no reason not to join.

“The obesity of people now, people just need to be more aware of the health benefits of exercise and diet,” Joy said. “All of the food options available with our without diet, just eating healthy. They give you so many options. Nobody should have any excuses for not jumping in and being healthy.”

Plans for the program include enhancement of its Web site, a Healthy Hays type of approval seal on various menu items in various Hays restaurants and continued efforts to reach the goal of getting 2,010 people involved.

“It's one thing for the hospital to say we want to see people healthy, but Healthy Hays 2010 lets us measure if we're doing what we say we want to do,” said Jodi Schmidt, vice president and chief development officer for Hays Medical Center. “We know it's going to take continued effort over five years. But we really want to measure improvement in the health of our community and that's not a short-term thing. We realize that this is a long-term commitment.”

Sports reporter Nabil Shaheen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 127, or by e-mail at

nshaheen@dailynews.net.