UK Health and Wellness’ first challenge of the year offered a subsidy for Fitbits and rewards of athletic gear for employees who committed to the Step Up challenge.

More than 8,500 employees signed up for the challenge that began Jan. 11 and will last until Feb. 21.

The challenge is part of the five year UK Strategic Plan, which includes the Live Well initiatives that Health and Wellness implements.

“Myself and some other colleagues in health and wellness, we ran a pilot program last year with about 100 employees all over campus,” Wellness Specialist and Fitness Facilities Manager Carrie Davidson said.

Davidson said they had an overwhelming response when they emailed employees with the opportunity.

“The whole point was to increase people’s physical activity, and we found that it did,” Davidson said. “By self report, [in the pilot program] they were averaging 2,700 steps a day and then after the program, we could see because they were wearing their devices, that they were averaging more like 5,700 to 7,000 steps a day.”

The department also has health coaches, dieticians, exercise consultations, and tobacco cessation classes for employees, among other resources for employees who want to begin eating healthier and exercising.

“I actually started last May changing my eating habits and eating healthier so I started to lose weight,” Director of Student and Multicultural Affairs Lisa A. Brown said. “And then with this challenge, I’m not the type of person that would go to the gym, but I can certainly walk. So, changing my eating habits and then complementing that with the walking will help me to stay healthier.”

Competition among faculty is one of the motivations Davidson noticed would spur employees to participate and improve their physical activity.

“I like the competition … being able to compete against other coworkers,” Brown said. “I have a sister who actually works here on campus in the administration building so she got a Fitbit. She didn’t do the challenge, but I think I’m going to beat her.”

Brown said she hopes this challenge will be a continuation of her previous efforts to improve her health.

“I started the challenge like a month before because I wanted to try to build up to get to the 10,000 steps,” Brown said. “My main focus is to actually be healthy and I love seeing the weight fall off me. (To) have more energy would be another reason why I wanted to participate in the challenge.”