Challenge accepted

“Push-ups. My shoulders don’t like them anymore,” Angie says. They were part of the recent Stars and Stripes fitness challenge created by our CEO Jim Hagedorn. 

The challenge was modeled after physical training (PT) workouts that are done in the military. PT workouts help increase strength, stamina, endurance and self-discipline in cadets. For Angie, they were part of life in the U.S. Army.

Achieving goals through structure

Staff Auditor Angie enlisted in the Army after graduating high school. “Being in the Army gave me structure,” she says. “It helped me learn how to set goals and drive toward those goals.” Maintaining a healthy weight is amongst her goals. 

“I know my family’s medical history,” she says. “I know that maintaining a healthy weight may help me overcome some of these medical issues or can at least give me a better outcome.”

Angie loves to cook, and she enjoys dining out or having a drink with her friends and family. She admits that these are huge motivators for her to workout. Staying active also helps her to manage stress.

“Working out or even going on a walk for 15 or 20 minutes helps me focus,” she says. “It’s helpful to get some fresh air, and it helps to step away and talk it out in my head. I think there would be more stress in my life if I didn’t have some sort of activity.”

The Jim Hagedorn (JH) Challenges help Angie achieve her health goals and manage stress. She also enjoys the camaraderie of participating with other coworkers. She says, “You don’t have to do the challenges by yourself. It’s fun to participate with the team members in your department.”

In her nine years at SMG, Angie has finished all of the JH Challenges for which she has signed up. She says, “Some of the challenges include exercises or activities that I wouldn’t normally do, but it’s supposed to be a challenge, right? There are usually modified versions for the exercises if I need it. Overall, though, I feel better that I at least tried it.”

Challenge yourself

Angie is thankful that SMG and Jim Hagedorn are focused on our associates’ health and wellbeing, and she encourages everyone to participate in the next fitness challenge.

“Having a healthy lifestyle helps eliminate a lot of stress and can help ease your body. Plus you’ll get better sleep and may find that you make better choices,” she says. “I’m glad that these fitness challenges are offered at work. They’re a great resource.”