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Durham, NC - Katie MacEachern, a fitness specialist at Duke, placed her foot on the bottom step of the staircase then paused to explain her posture.

"See how my whole foot is on the stair so I can push up through my heel?" she asked. "When I climb steps this way, I engage more of my leg muscles and put less stress on my knee joint."

Peggy Lyde, a nursing care assistant who was watching, gingerly placed her foot on the step and pushed up. "Wow, that feels different," she said. "It feels a whole lot more stable. And it doesn't hurt my knee."

Proper stair climbing technique was one of several lessons Lyde learned during a free, hour-long fitness consult with LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke's employee wellness program. Lyde also came away with information about other Duke programs that can help her meet her goal of losing weight and gaining more energy before her best friend's wedding in July.

Benefits-eligible staff and faculty at Duke University and Duke University Health System can schedule two free fitness consultations each calendar year at either Wilson Recreation Center or the LIVE FOR LIFE office in the Duke Clinic Building. During the consults, fitness specialists like MacEachern help participants understand how to exercise safely and set realistic exercise goals to improve fitness levels.

The desire for fitness advice is increasing among Duke staff and faculty. Last year, LIVE FOR LIFE conducted 745 consults, up from 432 in 2010. "Some people come for advice on getting started with exercise, while others want tips on effective and safe ways to take their existing exercise routines to the next level," said Liz Grabosky, LIVE FOR LIFE fitness manager.

Lyde, the nursing care assistant, had her first consultation last November and a second one in March. She has lost 18 pounds since her initial consult by walking each day, and is now off high blood pressure medication.

"You've hit the nail on the head for your cardio workouts," MacEachern told Lyde. "But you need to add in strength training and stretching."

MacEachern talked about strength training with free weights, resistance bands, exercise machines and with body weight by doing pushups. She encouraged Lyde to pick exercises involving lifting a weight eight to 12 times, spending a few moments in recovery then repeating the set once or twice.

"The rule of thumb is if you can't lift the weight at least eight times, it is too heavy," MacEachern said. "But if you can lift the weight more than 12 times without fatigue, you aren't working your muscles hard enough."

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Home » How to lose weight safely » Get Free Fitness Consults For Safe, Effective Exercise