Today’s business leaders are keenly aware of the value of their health and fitness to their personal (and family’s), but now they are increasingly seeing the link to their business success as well. Through our John Molson Healthy Executive module we can provide guidance and support to students who are looking to improve their fitness and overall energy levels. Read more in The Globe and Mail.
The John Molson Healthy Executive
The Healthy Executive Module of our program was a finalist for the DUX Awards held on January 21, 2015. The DUX recognizes and rewards companies that develop healthier food products, run ad campaigns and projects that promote and support healthier eating and lifestyle habits. To be a finalist, applicant’s file is evaluated by a multi-disciplinary jury and must score a minimum of 70 points (out of 100). Read the press release
Watch a video on our Healthy Executive feature:
The foundation of the John Molson Healthy Executive module is to enable students to sustain high-performance at work while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and promoting it in others. The module is delivered by a team of specialists from Concordia’s PERFORM Gym which includes experienced certified exercise physiologists, registered dietitians and Concordia’s Health Services health promotion experts.
The Module has two objectives:
- meet the health and wellness needs of our students,
- provide our students with the knowledge, tools and experiences to be agents of change within their own environments.
The three components that comprise the module are:
- Fitness for Performance
- Fuel for Function
- Health Promotion
These components focus on behaviours related to physical activity, nutrition and other health-related activities such as regular medical checkups, flu vaccination and stress management techniques. The collaborative delivery method for these components strengthens students’ personal motivation and commitment to change.
Recognizing the lifestyle of the typical EMBA student, the Healthy Executive uses a “slow and steady” approach to attitudinal and behavioural change. It unfolds systematically over the 18 months of the EMBA program, making it more likely that students reflect on and implement healthy living strategies into their lives in the long term. PERFORM Gym staff are an integral part of the EMBA student experience and are accessible to students both at PERFORM Gym and at the EMBA facilities.
This component is aimed at increasing the physical capabilities of students and enabling them to sustain the rigour of the executive lifestyle. Students are provided with specialized fitness assessments (cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and body composition) combined with specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (SMART) goals counseling. During sessions with certified exercise physiologists, students explore manageable ways to decrease sedentary time and increase movement throughout the day. Technology, in the form of monitoring devices, is used to track students’ daily moves and other activities. Feedback and remote counseling is provided to students through a fitness portal. Students have access to the Loyola Campus PERFORM Gym and its state-of-the-art fitness facilities and fitness classes for the duration of their studies.
This component introduces broader aspects of health to students. A health promotion specialist provides information and support to students for any clinical health needs that they may have. Students have access to a health clinic while they are in the program. They can book appointments with physicians or health promotion specialists as well as other health professionals. The Concordia Health Services team is made up of both male and female physicians, nurses, consulting psychiatrists and psychologist and health promotion specialists.
For most executives, eating well can be a challenge. This component helps students make appropriate nutritional decisions. A registered dietitian provides students with feedback through a review of their dietary habits and on-going support through a dedicated website. A series of short presentations on targeted and relevant nutritional topics are also offered. Finally, all of the food offerings in the EMBA program are carefully monitored by the registered dietitian to ensure that we are providing well-balanced food options to students.
