So who doesn't like a challenge? We, here at SparkPeople, find that challenges are actually a great motivational tool in helping our members reach their goals. So if SparkPeople members are motivated by the challenges, could this work for our politicians and their staff members in our country's capital? After all, many of us our motivated by the mere thought competing against others which isn't always a bad thing. Seven weeks ago a competition like no other in Washington, D.C. went out to members of Congress, their staff, as well as the Capitol Police. This friendly competition had nothing to do with political affiliations in the least. The competition you may ask--to see which Capitol Hill team could cover the greatest distance walking over a six week time period commencing on June 16th and ending on July 28th. The reward--the honor of being named the 'Top Walkers on the Hill' and receiving one of two highly sought after Blue Shoe trophies. The event sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, marks the 8th year of the Annual Walking Works Capitol Hill Challenge. Each team was comprised of at least five members, each of whom were each given a pedometer to track his/her mileage. The teams competed in two different categories: the first challenge was to see which team would cover the greatest distance during this six week time frame, while the second challenge measured the average miles attained per walker. With well over 1,000 participants making up 62 teams, Team Iowa was bestowed the honor of being named 'Top Walkers on the Hill' with a team total of 9409.58 miles. The top average miles per walker honor went to Illinois Representative Tim Johnson's team, averaging 353.62 miles. If you would like to see how the other teams did, just click the following link What I can appreciate about these types of challenges is that they encourage us to never underestimate the power small pockets of activity play in our health and weight management, especially when we integrate them into our busy schedules. Amazing how a quick jaunt into the grocery store can become a half-mile trek when we take advantage of walking around the parameters and interior of the store just so that we can meet our daily walking goal. Do you think challenges, like the Walking Works Capitol Hill Challenge, are a motivational tool for those looking to meet goals? Do you participate in any challenges on the SparkPeople site and if so, which ones are your favorite? |
More From SparkPeople
|
.png)
