Wellness Services challenges staff, students with healthy living contest

By Brent VonCannon
The Collegian

As the new semester gets under way, health issues such as stress and lack of sleep will inevitably creep up. Those are just a couple of areas that the campus-based Wellness Services program hopes to tackle head-on with its new interactive Wellness Challenge.

The Wellness Challenge, a first for Fresno State, is a win-win for all involved, said Sam Gitchel, the Wellness Services Coordinator. “We want to create a structure to promote wellness and to get people to the things we’re doing,” Gitchel said.

Specifically, those who register for the challenge can set up a program for their own personal enhancement through both campus-based activities set up by Wellness Services and individual goal-setting.

As an incentive, those who complete the Wellness Challenge activities and register out at the end will have the chance to win prizes, such as a laptop, a big-screen TV and a four-day cruise sponsored by AAA, according to Gitchel.

Gitchel explained that participants must complete three activities from the online wellness calendar in addition to 10 “WellChoice” activities that are individually chosen. “The WellChoice activities can be like packing a sack lunch to campus everyday, or like cutting TV time 50 percent per week,” Gitchel said. “Essentially, it’s an honor system.”

The wellness calendar, as well as registration and other Challenge-related information, can be accessed at www.csufresno.edu/wellness. Some of the campus activities will include physical exercises, lectures and even a stress-less day.

“We’ve found stress to be a big issue,” Gitchel said. He added that Dr. John Fu plans to offer a weekly meditation and relaxation group.

“Activities can be anything that benefits yourself,” said Shandi Jennings, a junior public relations major. “Any club or organization that wants to put on something that benefits health can do it. They can register their idea online on our Web site.”

Jennings serves as one of the eight Wellness Ambassadors who are responsible for coordinating the Challenge’s various activities.

The Wellness Services program focuses on improving health in six key areas: physical, social, occupational, spiritual, emotional and intellectual. “The physical is what interests most people, but the other aspects are just as important,” Jennings said.

“You can complete the challenge is less than the 10 weeks,” Gitchel added. “The goal is to give each person a better challenge in their lives. Behavior changes don’t happen overnight. Some will be focusing on one thing.”

“This challenge will definitely help those in the health-related programs,” Gitchel said, speaking both credit-wise and otherwise. “We’ve consulted with various departments such as kinesiology, nutrition and physical therapy. We especially want to give these students this experience. But everyone — students, staff and faculty are invited to participate.”

The first 500 people to register will get a free T-shirt inside their start-up packet that also includes a brochure and coupons for 50 percent discounts at various food outlets on campus, but only for food items identified as healthy “WellChoice” foods.

The packets also include a “wellness wheel.” This compass-like wheel “calculates how many calories you burn based on what route you take,” Jennings said, referring to various walking routes on campus marked on the wheel. Speed and body weight are taken into consideration.

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