Participant Journey

Pivio is a proven way to prevent, halt, or reverse chronic disease. In just 12 weeks, it can help you to:

  • Reduce risk factors for many common chronic illnesses
  • Feel better and think more clearly
  • Be more productive

Thinking about joining a Pivio program offered by your employer, health plan, or physician? Learn more, below!

How Pivio changes your life

Focused on six key lifestyle areas, Pivio shifts you away from habits that undermine your health and towards those that support it.

Target areasHarmful habitsPivio’s healthful habits
NutritionProcessed foods with high sodium and saturated fatWhole foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are key to restoring health. Pivio recommends a plant-rich, minimally processed eating pattern.
ActivityNo exerciseAt least 30 minutes of daily exercise

Exercise, even gentle movement like walking, lowers blood pressure, elevates mood, improves circulation, strengthens muscles, boosts immunity, and leads to more restful sleep.
SleepShort or irregular sleep8+ hours of sleep each night

7-8 hours a night of restorative sleep is critical for weight control, blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular health, mood, dementia prevention, and keeping your immune system strong.
Social ConnectionSeclusionDaily contact with friends and family

Family, friends, and community play a powerful role in maintaining health. Research links social connection with fewer ailments and a longer life.
Risky SubstancesOveruse of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, or recreational drugsAvoidance of risky substances

Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and drugs can threaten your health, as can environmental toxins and pollutants. It is important to understand and manage the risks. 
Stress ManagementHigh, unmanaged stressLow, well-managed stress

It’s no secret that managing stress makes you feel happier. But it also helps you control your weight, reduce risk for heart disease and dementia, reduce muscle tension, get sick less often, and sleep soundly.

Steps you’ll take on your Pivio journey

Get started!

You’ll learn about the Pivio program from administrators in your organization. The program is only available to individuals whose health plan, employer, healthcare system, or healthcare provider is a Pivio partner.

Once you express interest, you’ll receive an email that welcomes you to the program and tells you how to get started.

Attend onboarding

You’ll join an onboarding session. If you are in a Pivio cohort, you’ll meet your facilitator and other participants in your group. Together you’ll learn what to expect over the course of the program. If you are in the Pivio Now self-guided program, you will meet your Pivio Health Coach and be guided through onboarding.

Take health assessments

The Pivio portal will direct you to complete a self-assessment of your current lifestyle:

  • nutrition
  • exercise
  • stress management
  • substance use
  • relationships
  • overall wellbeing

You’ll also schedule a blood test. 

When the assessment and lab work are complete, you’ll receive reports called the Health & Lifestyle Snapshots. At a glance, you can see where change is needed most. You’ll get personalized recommendations for next steps.

Start using your cookbook and interactive online meal planner

Pivio will mail you a cookbook that’s packed with delicious and nutritious recipes. And, our online meal planner makes it easy to chart a course for meals in the week ahead–answer a few simple questions, click, and receive a list of meals, estimated cost, and printable shopping list (and link to shop online)!

Track progress in your journal

Pivio will mail you a personal journal to help you track your progress. 

Through journaling, you may identify factors that underlie your health challenges. Recognizing those hurdles is a critical first step to overcoming them.

Watch fun and informative videos

Each week, you’ll watch a 35-45 minute entertaining and informative video that showcases experiences of real Pivio participants. You’ll see people like you who are navigating their own journeys. Videos also feature lifestyle medicine experts, who explain how to build lasting healthy habits.

Participate in sessions

If you are in the Pivio cohort-based program, over the next 12 weeks, you’ll take part in 18 group sessions. 

  • First 6 weeks: 2 sessions a week
  • Second 6 weeks: 1 session a week

Sessions are facilitated by a coach who is trained in behavior change. Your coach/facilitator guides you in a conversation around your goals for the program, and together with the group you learn, discuss questions, track your progress, and cheer each other on.

If you are in the Pivio Now self-guided program, you’ll meet with your coach, one on one. You and your coach will schedule meeting times that work for your schedule. Together, you can discuss goals and questions, track progress, and celebrate success!

Explore educational materials

You can choose to watch videos, read articles, and scan fact sheets about topics that are important to you, such as diabetes, hypertension, GLP-1 medications, and more. 

These resources help you better understand your health—and the “why” behind each lifestyle change.

Set goals … and meet them

In Pivio cohorts, you and your group will discuss the 5-Day Fresh Start Challenge, a first commitment to changing your lifestyle. 

You’ll set an initial goal for yourself to complete. At the end of the first week, you’ll celebrate its completion with your group.

In the Pivio Now, self-guided program, you and your coach will discuss the 5-Day Fresh Start Challenge, set an initial goal, and celebrate together!

As you progress, you’ll set additional goals. Each one helps you to pivot your lifestyle and improve your health.

Repeat the assessment … and keep up the good work!

After 10 weeks you’ll do another health assessment. Pivio compares the original and new measurements to identify changes in biometrics and wellbeing scores. 

Your tests will show you how far you’ve come—and what your next steps should be.

Already a Pivio participant?

Interested in joining Pivio?

If your health plan, employer, or physician sent you information on Pivio, refer to the information there to get started!


Deatrice, participant 

“I had high blood pressure … My goal for this program was to learn about food and what makes a healthy diet. What I got is much more.” 

Tonya, participant 

“After beginning the Pivio program, I feel empowered. I feel like I’ve been given the tools to start my new life. In 3 weeks I lost 10 pounds and continue to lose more weight as I maintain the journey at home. This has become my lifestyle, and I am very happy with it.”

Learn how Pivio can help your organization.

Find out how you can implement Pivio and transform lives. The team at Lifestyle Medicine Institute (LMI) will work with you to select and implement the perfect lifestyle medicine solution for your organization.