Get Your Fit On
Fitness can be defined in all kinds of ways. Whether it’s mental, spiritual, physical or even financial, what fit means to you, the individual, is the most important.
As planning for this year’s NCMIC Fit program began, Human Resources consultant, Molly O’Neill, said HR wanted employees to know that it was more than just a weight loss program—it was multi-dimensional.
“We wanted to incorporate all aspects of wellness,” O’Neill said. “We want to see employees grow throughout the program and everyone’s journey is different. It’s about the overall wellness journey, not just how much weight they can lose or how much money they can save.”
NCMIC Fit started in 2020 just as Covid was taking hold. Now in its fourth year, NCMIC has been a hit with employees as they learn new ways to start their own journey to fitness.
2022 Winner Talks Motivation
Shanna Patrick was the 2022 female NCMIC Fit winner, along with Eric Simpson (male) and Traci Galligan and Kathy Lourens (dynamic duo). Patrick’s goal, she said, was to “feel better and get stronger, mentally.”
“Weight loss was also a goal, but not my primary goal. I have lost weight successfully in the past, but this time I needed to shift my mindset from a ‘diet’ that has a start and an end date, to an overall mindset shift and healthier habits for the long term,” she said. “I lost 55 pounds but there were so many more non-scale results though; I have noticed increased mental clarity and decreased anxiety. I also incorporated intentional movement every day, which I have continued even after the NCMIC Fit challenge. Even if it’s just taking a long walk, I make it a point to prioritize movement daily, and my endurance has greatly increased.”
The 2023 NCMIC Fit program kicked off in February and will run through November. Anyone can participate and there’s no signup needed. There will be both a male and female winner, as well as a dynamic duo. Success stories are due to HR by November 30 and must contain benchmarks of 3 of 8 dimensions of well-being. The eight dimensions include: Emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental and financial.
The 8 dimensions of wellness. Employees must show at least 3/8 of the dimensions to win.
All stories will be anonymous to the judges (HR will know who submitted what story but will NOT be a part of voting) and the winners will be chosen by a select group of NCMIC employees. The male and female individual winners will each receive $3,000 and each member of the dynamic duo will each receive $1,500.
O’Neill said employees can also add their goal to the goal board on the first floor for more immediate results. Goals can be anonymous, but O’Neill said that once you achieve your goal, you can turn it in to HR and win a $75 Amazon gift card.
Last year’s goal board winners included: Sugar Townsend, Sue Maslikowski, David Siebert, Amanda Clayton, Gary McHone, Cindy Perry, Lesley Dolan, Scott Gojkovich, Mandi Swanson, Chima Igbokwe, Molly O’Neill, Rebecca Strait and Jodi Brown.
The NCMIC Fit goals board located on the first floor.
O’Neill stressed that NCMIC Fit, while it’s a fitness/wellness program, is about employees having fun while working toward their goals.
“We bring different things on-site and we’ll be doing more of that this year,” she said. “The educational part is huge, and we try to make it fun.”
Patrick said folks at NCMIC have nothing to lose by participating—except maybe weight and some bad habits—and everything to gain.
“Consistency, not perfection,” Patrick said. “Modern ‘diets’ are so restrictive and not sustainable long term. Don’t completely eliminate any food groups, that will just leave you unsatisfied and craving it. If weight loss is your goal, work on portion control and consistency. If you go off the rails one day, just get back on track the next. And if you are like me and private or uncomfortable putting yourself out there, my advice is to just do it. If others know about your wellness journey, you have support and accountability.”
NCMIC Walking Challenge
Anyone wanting to have a little competitive fun while working on their goals, can participate in the NCMIC walking/steps challenge starting April 23. Over the course of the next week (through April 30), walkers can use whatever device they have to track their steps—smartphone, smart watch, Fitbit, etc—and at the end of the challenge, send a screenshot of their steps to HR. The winner with the most steps will receive a $100 gift card. A participation prize will be awarded, as well.