The Challenge
What is the “eat well live well” challenge?
The goal of the eight-week, competitive “eat well live well” challenge is to encourage individuals to move more, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed and learn how to “make their calories count”. Participants are asked to do three simple things for eight weeks:
- Using a pedometer, count and record your steps each day.
- Count and record the number of cups of fruit and vegetables eaten each day.
- Aim to make at least one meal a day follow the “half plate guide”.
- New in 2010, participants will also have the option of tracking their blood pressure.
How do I know it will work?
Wegmans first introduced this program in 2003 and has had increasing success every year. In the spring of 2006, as a part of a Rochester Business Alliance health care initiative, several Rochester employers (Eastman Kodak, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Xerox) participated in a pilot of the challenge and experienced great success. Due to the success of the pilot, Rochester Business Alliance introduced the “eat well live well” challenge to its members in the fall of 2006. Challenges were held in the winter, spring and fall of 2007, and 120 employers participated. In 2008, 204 organizations participated in the challenge. To date, over 300 employers with over 125,000 participants in the Rochester area have taken the “Challenge”. Wegmans and the Rochester Business Alliance are continuing to partner to introduce the challenge to more employers in the Rochester community and hope you’ll join!
The Challenge is growing! In addition to the Rocheter region, it is now open to employers in Buffalo and Syracuse.
Why participate?
This is a very simple, but fun way to engage your employees in a program that may lead to a healthier lifestyle! You will also find that it results in great teamwork and builds camaraderie.
What will it cost my organization to participate? Mostly, lots of enthusiasm!
For more information on how to join the Challenge, contact:
Rochester
Buffalo