GO the EXTRA MILE Initiative

One of NIHB’s primary areas of focus is to improve the health of AI/AN. Through exercise and diet, many American Indians who suffer from chronic diseases, including obesity and diabetes, can help mitigate the symptoms through diet and exercise. NIHB’s GO the EXTRA MILE initiative is just a small way that NIHB can demonstrate positive and supportive workplace efforts to support diabetic employees help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes through added physical activity, and enhance the quality of health for all employees.

Overview of Our Plan

As part of the CEO Pledge, NIHB has established a plan to implement exercise in the workplace. Executive Directors who sign The CEO Pledge agree to implement at least six of the recommended strategies to create a culture of physical activity in their workplaces. A mix of strategies from each category—behavioral, educational, and environmental/policy—is encouraged to maximize the cultural impact. Some strategies may fit into more than one category. NIHB has selected the following six elements from the CEO Pledge Criteria (please put a hyperlink in here that directs to the CEO Pledge Criteria page under TOOLKITS tab) to incorporate into its GO the EXTRA MILE initiative.

NIHB’s Criteria for GO the EXTRA MILE Initiative

Establish a non-competitive physical activity program
Provide education and information to employees about the benefits of an active lifestyle
Invite experts to conduct regular information sessions in the workplace on physical activity-related topics.
Encourage employees to take brief activity breaks throughout the day
Coordinate monthly walks with community organizations
Offer incentives for physical activity

Our Plan Details

The Process:

Provide thirty paid minutes a day for staff to go for a walk.
Employer and employee miles are tracked daily.
Weekly mileage is managed on a database and reported on the miles tracker map on the Home page.
Weekly email reminders sent to staff about walking progress and any updates.
Virtual destination goal is to walk to all Area Indian Health Boards and the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (Bemidji Area).

Incentives:

Arrange healthy incentives for meeting team walking goals—potluck lunches with staff, healthy cooking classes, planning fun outdoor activities like dodge ball tournaments, group walks, etc.
Coordinate community walks.
Invite fitness experts and nutritionists/dieticians to share advice and tips about eating healthy and exercising.

Enforcement:

Employees who fail to use the allotted time for walking each day will not receive the extra paid thirty minutes nor are allowed to participate in the incentives.

Advocacy:

Provide outreach and encouragement to Area Indian Health Boards and other Tribal organizations to join the CEO Pledge and the Go the Extra Mile.
Offer a toolkit to help other organizations sign the CEO Pledge and implement the GO the EXTRA MILE initiative.
Update monthly the “GO the EXTRA MILE” website with physical activity events, exercise information, and progress from NIHB and participating organizations.
Send updates electronically to distribution list.
Recognize participating organizations’ milestones and achievements.