Teamwork pays off for Tingalls Get Fit challengers
Ten professionals and 10 teams are competing in the 2015 Get Fit Challenge. Who will earn the healthiest marks? Follow along on Facebook and then find out at the In Business Expo & Conference on Oct. 21. This week, IB checks in with the group from Tingalls Graphic Design, which is competing in the team challenge, and is made up of Tara Ingalls, Alyssa Daubs, Kallie Johnson, and Britt Leach. Stay tuned for future blogs from the rest of the team.
The team at Tingalls Graphic Design is always up for a challenge — but it’s usually a creative challenge. To be honest, when the Get Fit Challenge was presented, we all thought, “Well, maybe …” But a few weeks into it, we’re shaping up, firming up, and proving our determination. Make no mistake — the sacrifices have been great — diet changes and daily, relentless exercise were necessary to get into the swing of things. We took a quick poll of the Tingalls Graphic Design team and here’s what they said about the challenge’s most difficult — and easiest — parts so far.
Tara Ingalls: I’ve really enjoyed being part of the Tingalls team in the Get Fit Challenge. Our firm is highly collaborative in our everyday work and creating team builders around fitness has been fun. Daily walks now that the weather is nice, combined with quick stretches in the morning, are a fun way to break up the day and encourage each other. I think the most challenging part of my journey thus far has been sticking to healthy meal choices. I’m a mother of three small children and we often “eat on the run.” While most fast food restaurants offer salad options, I find myself sneaking a french fry or two. I’ve also tried hard to eat five smaller meals each day versus three large ones. I stock my desk weekly with granola bars, nuts, and protein bars so I don’t get hungry. I also found increasing my water intake helps with sore muscles and my overall mood. We’ve nearly doubled our water delivery service trying to drink a gallon of water per day!
Alyssa Daubs: The most difficult part of my fitness journey has been consistently making good choices when it comes to eating. While I keep healthy choices stocked at home, I struggle with self-control when I’m out to eat with friends or family. Whether it’s a family gathering or a dinner out with friends, it seems like spending time with loved ones always involves food. I’ve challenged myself with this in a few ways. For the month of March I gave up all sweets; I found that after going without sweets for 31 days, I don’t crave them nearly as much. I also make sure to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store to stock up on fresh produce, while staying away from highly processed foods usually found in the center aisles.
I’ve pretty consistently incorporated exercise into my life over the years, so this part of my fitness journey hasn’t been too difficult for me to keep up. I do group fitness classes four to six times per week, which helps me to stay motivated. It’s tough to get home from the gym and sit down to a pizza when I know how hard I just worked! It also helps immensely to come to work everyday and be around people who are all working toward the same health goals. We encourage each other to make healthy choices for lunch and often take quick walks around the pond near our office. Walking breaks at work are great stress relievers and they give us energy and mood boosts!
Kallie Johnson: I guess the biggest challenge for me is making good food choices. I am always on the go so finding the time to prepare good, healthy meals is my biggest challenge. It is just so much easier to grab something and go. I need to make those grab and go choices healthier. The easiest part — finding time to exercise. I have always made this a priority so it is usually just a part of my routine. I think also having a goal makes it easier to do. I know that if I don’t run consistently, I won’t be able to run a race so there is that motivation.
Britt Leach: The most difficult part of the Get Fit Challenge is staying on track and steering away from making bad choices. Sometimes I don’t want to work out and sometimes I don’t want to eat healthy. But since I’ve been doing the challenge it has helped me stay focused. The easiest part has been finding new fun, yummy recipes from my co-workers and also I love how everyone says YES to a walk and doesn’t complain about exercise.
There you have it, straight from the sweating, hard-working exercise machine that is Tingalls Graphic Design. Our collaborative nature compliments this sort of competition — we support one another and focus on the long-term goal. Minor setbacks just make for a better story in the end. Once we take up a challenge, we do not give up.
Meet all of the competitors here and see who wins at the In Business Expo & Conference.
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