A weight loss challenge, run by Compass Group (Australia), has seen the mining industry lose over 12.5 tonnes of weight over the last eight years. The healthy workplace initiative is offered to all 13,000 Compass Group (Australia) employees.

The challenge is most active with ESS Support Services Worldwide, the group’s mining services companies who cater and look after thousands of workers in Australian mining villages. The life of a fly-in fly-out often means long shifts, irregular hours, high pressure work, regular travel and unusual sleeping patterns so it’s no wonder a recent report shows the level of overweight and obesity is estimated to be above 70 percent at some remote mining industry locations1.

The 12 Week TasteLife Weight Loss Challenge has thousands of workers across Australia signed-up for the challenge which runs from 26 August – 18 November. The challenge provides personal health assessments, healthy lifestyle seminars, on-site group fitness classes (for all levels), healthy eating plans and cooking and shopping tips. Catherine Walker, National Manager for Tastelife, explains how this year’s annual TasteLife weight loss challenge is growing every year.

“The challenge is a vital program to motivate FIFO workers to live healthier, including lose weight. These workers often struggle with unusual working hours, with shift work and long rosters such as 4 weeks at work and only one week off so maintaining a healthy weight can be hard. “The challenge focuses on weight loss and holistic health and nutrition education to help workers adopt a long term healthy lifestyle on site and at home. The challenge is a 12 week long program to encourage habit forming behaviour change and drive motivation,” said Catherine. Already 1,784 ESS workers across Australia have signed up to the 12 week challenge which starts with a personal health assessment (to measure blood pressure, waist measurements and set goals) and confidential weigh-in undertaken by an Activelife coach (ALCs) - to give participants a baseline starting point.

Then every two weeks participants see an on-site ALC for a one-to-one goal setting check. “Last year 3,872 kilos was lost by 1,412 FIFO workers across Australia on the 12 Week TasteLife Weight Loss Challenge, this year we are to beat this target,” said Catherine Walker.

Details:
Fast Facts - 12 Week TasteLife Weight Loss Challenge
The 12 Week Tastelife Challenge has run on remote mine sites and corporate head offices for eight years, with over 8,000 people making the change to a healthier lifestyle
12.5 tonnes of weight has been lost since the challenge began
Dave Law, winner of the 2012 challenge lost 24.5% of his body weight during the 12 week