ASUFit brings back annual challenge

ASUFit's annual Spring Fitness Challenge, a three-week competition where students, faculty and staff form teams to accomplish goals will being Sunday, Feb. 9.

The teams must have five people or more to accomplish specific goals before the challenge ends March 1.  The top three teams will be awarded prizes.

"The Fitness Challenge was of part of a multifaceted plan for this program," Special Projects Secretary Katherine Garrison said. "The initial plan was to get word out about healthy eating habits, healthy fitness habits and to get education out there."

The goals incorporate several different topics of fitness and wellness including physical activity, nutrition, hygiene and stress relief.

Each week, the team captain will average their team's total number of points and fill out an outline form.  

 The different activities have been recommended by doctors, the news and newspaper, Garrison said. Having this challenge may encourage people to realize it is their time to get healthy.

The goals this year have been designed to be simple and easy to incorporate into a daily routine.

Some of the tasks include flossing every night, making lunch for yourself, give up coffee for a week and take a 15 minute or more walk to stretch your muscles.

The challenge is also encouraging participants to stay up to date with their shots and physicals.

The idea is to help students take initiative and be proactive about their health and include these health routines in their life.

"The challenge is not necessarily for those who work out," Garrison said. "We are trying to target individuals that wouldn't feel the motivation to make healthy choices or those who are having a hard time doing so and need an extra push. It's the small things that make major changes in someone's life."

The ASUFit Spring challenge first began in 2009. Since then, ASUFit has had over 10 fitness challenges including walking challenges, work out challenges and a triathlon with the local San Angelo Road Lizards. The facilities usually have a fall and spring challenge but there have also been summer challenges.

Garrison said the coolest thing about this challenge is that it's the perfect storm.  It's a local fitness challenge with just ASU students and there is a lot of rivalry.

"We often forget that when we educate our minds, our bodies also need to be educated," she said. "They work together."