They've already got one fitness challenge in place (which I'm participating in) & they're going to add another one with trainer consultations! Woo hoo!

I've really wanted to consult with a trainer re: some foot issues, but it's just not in the budget. So I'm really appreciative that they're doing this for us!

That's so awesome!

My sister worked for a company that traded participation in company-sponsored health and fitness events (like lunchtime yoga classes and after-work bootcamps), as well as lifestyle changes like losing weight or quitting smoking, for a discount on health insurance...always thought that was a fabulous idea! If you show up and exercise and take care of yourself, your insurance costs less.

Glad you work in such a neat spot!

That's really great!

Always love to hear about companies committed to employee fitnesss. I work at a hotel/casino - if you have ever been to a hotel the back of the house can be quite big.

My employer has mapped out a one mile walking path and placed arrows directing the path. This encourages employees to get out and walk on their breaks. I think they are handing out pedometers soon.

IMO pedometers stink. I've tried 'em from cheap to expensive and they all give me more steps when I'm sitting rather than walking. Maybe y'all can talk your employer into getting you heart rate monitors(or even a discount on getting them). I got myself one a few weeks ago and LOVE it. It even calculates calories burned over time. I'm sure it's not completely accurate either, but it sure has encouraged me to get my walking in when I see the difference in calories burned compared to when I'm sitting on my butt.

My employer started a steps program with a rewards about a month ago and gave out pedometers. It really isn't fair to pit drivers(about 500 steps/day) against blasters(about 15,000 steps/day). The drivers like to wear their peds while driving just to see how many potholes we hit during the shift. It triples and quadruples the readout. Ofcourse, with as many new hires as we now have, my heart rate goes thru the roof about 6 times a day from seeing some of the moves they make.

I almost died laughing at this because my pedometer sits in my car and I occasionally look at it to see how well I'm doing at avoiding pot holes and how many I've hit!! I never told anyone why it sits in my car, I usually fib saying, oh when I go to the mall I clip it on to see how much I've walked around blah blah blah...
As for the "MY Employer rocks!" lol I've NEVER said that in my life... I've liked certain jobs but I've never thought this of my employers, my current one is absolutely ridiculous! They can make the officer that is "low man" on the shift stay for the next, ending up working 16 hour days, just to go home and get about 5 or 6 hours sleep and do it again the next day!! ALL WITH NO BENEFITS B/C WE'RE "PART-TIME" although for a while there almost ALL of the part-timers were working 80 hours a week, 40 MORE THAN THE FULL-TIMERS!! They think we're little obedient robots and we really have no choice well it's do it or GET FIRED!

Oh the joys of working for County Government

But that's absolutely awesome that your employers are actually concerned about your wishes and health that they are willing to encourage healthy choices... I'm jealous!

Maybe we should start a "My employer Rocks/Sucks" thread. Our "Steps" program is total propaganda. My company is also reopening a fitness center. It used to be at the mine where everyone could use it. They shut that one down a few years ago. Now, it's going to be in the housing development they've built. BTW, this development is on top of a mine tailings plume that they claim has been cleaned up. Unfortunately, some of the residents who garden have dug down about 6" and found rainbow colored soil. Yeah, kinda makes you feel safe. This fitness center is no more than a chance to try to get us to buy into houses that BTW most of us can't afford on the wages we make.

I am quite pleased with the company I work for, too. Each year, they shop around for the best provider of group benefits and as a result, they switch to a different provider every couple of years. As a result, the annual contribution towards fitness/wellness/weigh loss programs was recently increased from $200 to $350. Gotta love that.