Colleyville, Texas

            Colleyville, Texas….The city of Colleyville is reducing its staff. Not to be confused with cutbacks in personnel, the city is literally shrinking the size of its staff, one pound at a time. In early spring, the city sponsored the “Naturally Slim” program for 20 employees at risk for weight-related health problems. Lunchtime classes were conducted onsite in the City Hall complex once a week for 10 weeks. At the end of the 10-week period, participating staffers had lost 450 pounds, averaging a 45-pound group weight loss per week.

            “The program was a success because it wasn’t about a diet. The Naturally Slim coach taught us how and when to eat, like people who are naturally slim. The first week or two, some people were losing 8 or 9 pounds each week,” said City Manager Bill Lindley, who lost 44 pounds during the 10-week program and has now lost almost 65 pounds.

            “There were a multitude of reasons to do this—health costs, fewer sick days, etc. But, the bottom line is that these are the people who take care of the people of Colleyville, so we wanted to do something for them.”

            In addition to the impressive weight loss, some employees reported significantly lowered blood pressure and a reduction in their required levels of prescription medications. Both benefits are staples of the program. 
            The Naturally Slim program is the work of nurse practitioner Marcia Upson. A Dallas native, Ms. Upson specializes in weight loss and healthy nutrition. Other cities have experienced an estimated $400-$500 savings in employee health costs, a statistic that appealed to the management at the city of Colleyville. Her program encourages eating regular food, including Tex-Mex, chicken fried steak, pasta, and an occasional dessert or sweet, a fact that appealed to the employees.