MSU professor attracts attention from Oprah show

Heiss, a dietetics professor in the biomedical sciences department at Missouri State University, now weighs 145 pounds after losing more than 100 pounds since summer 2003.

In early 2003, Heiss was watching “The Oprah Winfrey Show” when one of the show’s frequent guests said something that struck her. Bob Greene, an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer, said people must take control of their lives before they can lose weight.

“People think, ‘OK, I’m going to lose this weight really quickly, and then I’ll start feeling good about myself,’ but it’s actually the opposite,” said Heiss, a registered dietician since 1985. “You kind of do the emotional work first, and you wait until a time when you know you can really commit to making the changes.”

Heiss took action and began shedding pounds.

A few months later, she received a coincidental phone call from Greene, who was unaware of the impact he had made on Heiss. Greene wanted Heiss, a Ph.D., to edit one of his books, “Guide to Fast Food and Family Restaurants.”

She edited the book, one of eight that Greene has written, and she and Greene stayed in touch.

Then, last December, Greene asked Heiss to be a guest on Oprah’s show to share her weight-loss story.

“I think hers is a really interesting story and one that (helps people) the more that it’s told,” Greene said.

Heiss appeared on the Jan. 15 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” though many people in Springfield didn’t see the show because it aired just three days after the historic ice storm knocked out electricity throughout the city.

Still, her January appearance led to more involvement with Oprah. In February, Heiss began working as one of three mentors for six participants in a yearlong weight-loss challenge for the show.

University gains

Brent Dunn, vice president for university advancement, said anytime MSU, or one of its faculty, receives national attention it’s beneficial, though he said the benefit couldn’t be quantified by increased donor dollars.

He said Heiss isn’t the first faculty member to bring national attention to MSU via “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” A few years ago, Ken Rutherford, associate professor of political science, was a guest on the show to discuss land mines.

“When you hear of academic programs and you read articles that quote faculty and researchers, that only strengthens our cause,” he said. “It lends itself a lot of credibility to the institution.”

Heiss said she doesn’t know if she will appear on the show again, though she continues her work as a weight-loss mentor, communicating with two program participants via telephone and e-mail.

Cost of obesity

Meanwhile, local businesses have good reason to care about obesity, according to Partnership for Prevention, a Washington, D.C.-based health advocacy group.

According to Partnership for Prevention, obese and overweight employees cost U.S. employers between $98 billion and $129 billion annually in health care cost, which the group estimates to be 36 percent higher than costs for employees of normal weight. The group also says that obese employees are nearly 75 percent more likely to experience high rates of absenteeism.

“(Obesity) has big implications for the economic bottom-line of many businesses,” said Lyn Goldberg, interim associate dean in MSU’s College of Health and Human Services.

Business Fitness Advice

Bob Greene – exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and former personal trainer for Oprah Winfrey – offers these tips for businesspeople who are looking to get healthy. “A good businessperson knows quite well how to accomplish what they want in the business world, but (they) don’t always apply the same basics to achieving what they want in their personal life,” Greene said. “The basics are universal.”

• “Know what you want.”

• “Make an honest assessment of what’s holding you back, including your personal strengths and weaknesses.”

• “Make a plan of action, including getting the resources that you need to accomplish your goals.”

• “Execute your plan.”[[In-content Ad]]