The start of 2011 has brought to a close our first Handel Your Health Wellness Program Challenge and those who participated are a bit healthier for it! Over 8 weeks in November and December participants were able to take part in any or all of the following challenges:
Start living better, it's as easy as 1,2,3,4,5!
1. Get signed up for some or all of the challenges! (which are)
2. Cut your soda intake by a factor of 2, goal is to drink 1/2 the soda you normally drink
3. 3 x 30, exercise for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week
4. 4-go fast food. No fast food for at least 2 weeks out of the month
5. 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
The goal of these challenges was to offer enough variety to appeal to as many employees as possible and to make the overall effect of simple lifestyle changes carry forward into future healthier living. There was a large amount of participation and when the dust settled, the employee who had best reflected (and kept track of) the intent of the wellness challenges was Hank Googe. Hank was awarded a $100 gift certificate to a local sporting apparel store where he purchased some new gear to continue his healthy habits.
While these initial challenges fulfilled the goal of changing habits, focusing more explicitly on our health and offering improvement in several facets of life, there was still something missing for me. When I recorded my fifth vegetable of the day, it just didn’t feel like an accomplishment—it wasn’t memorable. So, that’s what I want for the next chapter in Handel Your Health Wellness Challenges; something that allows participants to walk away with feelings of accomplishment and pride. I remember when I completed my first 5K run on a treadmill after I started running to lose weight when I was 30. I remember the feelings of pride and accomplishment after I completed my first half-marathon, marathon and relay race. I also know that these feelings of accomplishment instilled a meaningful change in me, giving me more desire and discipline to complete other similar challenges.
To inspire our employees to make a resolution coinciding with the New Year, we kicked off the 2011 Handel Your Health Wellness Program with the challenge to sign up for an event they have never done before, or have done and would like to do again. The event can be any kind of race or challenge and we provided several resources for finding events happening in 2011, including specific local running, biking, duathlon and triathlon races. We have identified some internal resources for training assistance: myself (hack runner, Emil (accomplished runner) and Jeanne (former personal trainer) who all can assist with training goals. For any employee who signs up for and completes an event in the first 6 months of 2011, Handel will reimburse up to $100 of their entry fee—what a deal!
Our group of Nordic employees has already signed up for a cross-country ski race in Yellowstone and others have registered for some half-marathons. We are building a team for the Laramie 100, a 24-hour relay race in the mountains outside of Laramie, as a precursor to the Colorado Relay. It is wonderful to see so many people taking on the challenge to accomplish something new and significant in their lives and I look forward to updating you on their successes in the future.
Be healthy and well!
Casey