Jodi says she probably wouldn't work out if she couldn't do it at work.

Jodi focuses on a cardiovascular workout most days and alternates that with strength training at Gundersen My Health Room in La Crosse. As a busy social worker, she said, she can find time for exercise only during her lunch hour.

"I can't take the time to go to a fitness center, and I'm not going to stop somewhere to work out on the way home," she said. "It's easy to come up with excuses, but not if you can work out at work.

"I like working out, and Gundersen makes it possible," she said.

Gundersen also has a fitness center at its Onalaska clinic and walking trails for employees in LaCrosse and Onalaska.

"Employers play an important role in the health of their employees, and if they encourage and provide a healthy environment, they can make a difference for their employees," said Linda, nutrition manager of the La Crosse County Health Department and co-chairwoman of the Coulee Region Childhood Obesity Coalition.

The obesity coalition received a $4,000 grant last fall from the Wisconsin Cancer Control Board to fund a project evaluating work sites and changing the environment to promote healthy living.

Partners in the coalition - La Crosse County, Gundersen Medical Center, University of WisconsinLaCrosse and the LaCrosse and Onalaska school districts - joined in the project.

"Our hope is we can make some environment changes and make our work sites healthier,"she said. "If we look at our work environment, we can pick a couple things to work on and achieve some success."

Last fall, the five partners completed work site wellness assessments and now are coming up with changes, she said.

She said the health department found many county employees don't have the best health habits.

Their fat intake is high, and they eat too many processed foods, she said. Many sit all day and don't exercise much.

Lee said she found vending machines in the building generally offer poor nutrition choices.

"We're working on the vending machine issue to make sure there are more healthy choices," said. She said Stansfield Vending provides Gundersen's 500 Club healthy food choices, but they can't always be found in the machines.

She also found healthy food choices were not available at meetings. "It's usually doughnuts and cookies served at meetings,"she said. "We could make a few changes there."

She said companies don't have to be like Ovation Marketing in La Crosse, which has had a comprehensive health program for employees for many years.

"Employers can start by making a few changes, and they can do a lot to encourage employees to make healthy changes," she said.

To encourage exercise and better food choices, the project has enrolled employees from the five work sites to participate in "Moving Down the Mississippi 2007."

Participants earn miles for vegetable and fruit consumption as well as exercising for 30 or more minutes a day. The 2,552mile journey from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico started Monday and will take six weeks. Employees will receive health tips by e-mail.

Paula, Gundersen wellness specialist, said the center provides financial incentives if employees take a health risk assessment and make changes.

"Employers will see a return on their investment when they change the work site environment to help employees adopt healthier habits," Jacobson said. "Nonsmokers and healthier employees cost less health-care dollars.

"More employers are doing more things in this area because they realize that it is a good thing for their employees and themselves," she said.

Becki, UW-L assistant professor of exercise and sports science, said the university has the fitness facilities, but some staff members still have trouble finding the time to work out. She said UW-L is looking at healthier food choices in vending machines and at the cafeteria.

"We're working on nutritious eating choices at meetings, too," she said. "We're also reviewing policies to encourage healthy lifestyles."

The county health department has a room for breastfeeding moms, and UW-L is looking for a place for those moms.

"The biggest barrier is the actual time to go out and exercise," she said. "One idea is to look at a walking meeting instead of sitting around in a room for a meeting."

The LaCrosse school district encourages employees to participate in walking challenges and offers discounts for fitness centers, said Heather, wellness liaison at Hogan Administrative Center.

She said the school district sends out health tips to employees by e-mail. She said the school district is trying to improve food choices in vending machines and looking at providing incentives to encourage healthy habits.

"We're trying to do more to help employees stay healthy and stay active,"She, said. "Sometimes you need incentives for people to do it.

"The main thing is a healthy employee is a better and more productive employee with fewer sick days," she said.