Business Healthy Challenge 2019, 1st – 31st May
A free, month-long physical activity challenge for City workers
The Business Healthy Challenge 2019 is now underway. A timetable of free led walks, gym classes and outdoor exercise sessions is taking place in the City during lunchtimes and evenings in May. Open to City workers – find out more here.
It’s win-win
Get fit. Earn prizes. Feel good. Get together with your colleagues, form a team of up to five and log your physical activity by syncing your smartphone app or wearable device with the platform, or log it manually. All activity equates to points and all teams earning 3,000 points* or more are entered into a grand prize draw to win covetable and healthy prizes. We know that life can be busy, so absolutely any kind of physical activity can earn you points, including walking to or from the station, walking the dog, running, cycling, gym sessions, yoga and even strenuous DIY or gardening. You’ll be competing against colleagues and those working in other City firms.
The Business Healthy Challenge is a free, month-long physical activity challenge for anyone working in the City of London, taking place throughout Living Streets’ National Walking Month (1st – 31st May 2019). It is run by the City of London Corporation’s Business Healthy, kindly sponsored by Nomura and supported by Public Health England London and national walking charity Living Streets.
Taking part offers participants the opportunity to try something new and encourages building in more physical activity into the daily routine. Anyone is welcome to take part in the Challenge, no matter their level of fitness, age, or preference of activity. This Challenge is not just for the super fit.
In addition, a range of free lunchtime and after-work activities will be taking place across the Square Mile during the Challenge to help participants boost their points. Participants will also receive a weekly motivational email packed with tips to gain the competitive edge, while making the most of the sites and heritage of the City of London. You will also have access to a leaderboard to keep track of how your team is doing and share photos from your activities – there’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition!
Last year, 500 City workers from across 19 different City organisations took part, racking up 167 million steps and 70,000 miles across the month. Participants found the Challenge benefited them in a range of ways:
- Three-quarters said that the Challenge encouraged them to be more physically active and almost half reported they had kept up some or all of this habit long after the Challenge ended. Many participants reported that they were already very physically active.
- 70% found taking part in the Challenge either very or somewhat beneficial, with some reporting:
- Weight loss and increased fitness: “I lost 5lbs in weight. Feel in great shape physically and mentally. So once again a huge thank you for organising this and see you again next year.”
- Teamwork and team-building: “It’s good to see that friendships have been built within the team, who are continuing with their activities and daily runs.”
- Forming of long-term healthy habits: “I have adopted some of the lifestyle choices I made at the time [of the Challenge] (such as taking the stairs and walking from the train station) after the programme.”
*For example, 3,000 points looks like 6,000 steps per day, 9 miles run in a week, or 29 miles cycled in a week (per participant in a team of five).
See what other benefits taking part in the 2018 Challenge had on participants here.
Prizes up for grabs
Some great prizes are available to Challenge participants and teams hitting the 3,000 points threshold, including:
- A wifi-enabled underwater sports camera worth £40 (kindly donated by the Active City Network)
- Healthy and tasty lunch from HOP Vietnamese (an office drop for a team and colleagues (up to ten people) and five spot prizes for individuals)
- HIIT/ Yoga/ Cycle classes at boutique gym Another_Space Bank (a pack of five classes for one person (worth £99), and single classes for five individuals (worth £22 each))
- Zoom Teeth Whitening session at Bow Lane Dental (worth £550)
- Treatments at Dermalogica One New Change – a ProSkin Facial Treatment and a Skin Solver treatment for a team of up to five.
- One-day juice detox from PRESS London (worth £46).
Spot prizes are also up for grabs, with 300 passes to Another_Space classes to be released during May, plus more!
