To promote health and wellness within the local business community while creating some “healthy” competition, Commit to Fit! is pleased to present the 2015 Fall 4 Fitness Challenge. Now in its fifth year, the community-wide, business-to-business wellness challenge will take place from October 1st to October 31st.

Sponsored by Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc., pre-registration for businesses, organizations, and community groups is now open via Commit to Fit.

The challenge is available free-of-charge to any Flint & Genesee County business, organization, or community group interested in bringing wellness to the workplace. Last year, 83 local businesses participated.

Throughout the month of October, Fall 4 Fitness participants will track and earn points for their physical activity, with a daily goal of being active or exercising for 30 minutes per day. As challenge participants, individuals will earn Commit to Fit! Wellness Points for their Business, Organization, or Community Group for all physical activity tracked on commit2fit.com.

Based on their employee participation, businesses will compete against one another to see which will be recognized and rewarded for achieving the “Highest Level of Participation” and “Highest Level of Goal Attainment” with the winners earning the Commit to Fit! distinction of the “Healthiest Business in Genesee County.”

Individuals who reach the challenge goal of 30 minutes of physical activity daily throughout the month will also be entered into a raffle drawing to win cash prizes, fitness club memberships, massages, gift certificates, and more!

All registration and activity tracking is done online via Commit to Fit!’s website, commit2fit.com, a free interactive wellness website made available to all who either live or work in Genesee County as a free resource to track and improve health behaviors while also providing health tips, tools, and additional resources.

How to register:
Any Flint & Genesee County Business, Organization, or Community Group should first complete the online business commitment form.

Local residents and/or employees from registered businesses can join the challenge by visiting www.commit2fit.com and logging in anytime!

The 2015 Fall 4 Fitness Challenge kickoff event will take place Friday, September 25, 2015 at 12:00 noon in the new downtown Flint Urban Park (former Genesee Towers site).

The Greater Flint Health Coalition and Commit to Fit! has launched a partnership with local restaurants that aims to support adults, children and families with making healthier choices when dining out. The Commit to Fit! Smart Bites program rewards residents for choosing healthy menu options at participating local restaurants by providing discounts as well as Commit to Fit! incentive drawings through the year.

In the United States, 35% of the calories that Americans typically eat and drink are in the form of empty calories, found largely in processed foods that contain high levels of fats and added sugars. In Genesee County today, nearly one-third of children and 71% of adults are classified as overweight or obese, with a strong link to poor nutritional choices and related lifestyle behaviors. Partnering with local restaurants, the Commit to Fit! Smart Bites Program is making the healthy choice the easy choice by marketing healthier menu options to all Flint & Genesee County residents.

To participate, Genesee County residents can pick up a Smart Bites card from participating Smart Bites restaurants, where they receive discounts for choosing discounted healthy options from the Smart Bites menu. Residents will receive a sticker for each healthy menu item purchased. When residents fill their Smart Bites card with stickers, cards can be submitted to the Greater Flint Health Coalition or at participating restaurants to be eligible for additional wellness incentive drawings throughout the year.

Participating restaurants include: Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill, The Lunch Studio, Leo’s Coney Island (Grand Blanc location), Hoffman’s Deco Deli & Café, Tropical Smoothie Café (Grand Blanc & Clio locations), Subway (Clio location), Big Boy (Grand Blanc & Clio locations), and Pizza Mia (Grand Blanc location). Additional restaurants are being added weekly and a complete list can be found at www.commit2fit.com in the Smart Bites section.

Commit to Fit! Smart Bites is open to all adults, families, and children that live or work in Genesee County. Restaurants that are interested in joining this community-based program can email commit2fit@flint.org or visit commit2fit.com to find out how to participate in the Commit to Fit! movement to improve health status in Flint and Genesee County.