Fitness means different things to different people. For some, it can represent the physical act of completing an activity like running on a treadmill. For Alina Del Rosario, a UC Berkeley staff member, it means “making the right choices for [her] mind and body.”
Del Rosario is one of over 4,000 participants from the Berkeley community who competed in this semester’s Spring into Fitness Challenge, a digital challenge hosted through Under Armour’s MapMyFitness app. UC Berkeley students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community were challenged to meet specific fitness goals such as completing three consecutive workouts in a row, logging an activity before 9 a.m., and getting active on the weekends.
“The app specifically helps me keep track of how active I’ve been, which keeps me honest about my workouts, while showing the progress I’ve made,” noted Del Rosario. “I also really enjoy that any activity counts. The [Under Armour] challenges are not restrictive and it's great that it is open to all individuals regardless of fitness skill level.”
Participants of the Spring into Fitness challenge were given the opportunity to win exclusive apparel from Under Armour in addition to a Cal Swag Bag if they successfully logged a minimum of 15 workouts within the course of 30 days.
A grand total of 61,826 total workouts were logged by participants with the most popular entries including running, walking, and going to the gym.
Finding Motivation
Like many campus staff members, Del Rosario agrees that it can be difficult to find the time to take care of our bodies and emotional well-being. However, she credits her success to surrounding herself with individuals who encourage her to push past her potential.
She also finds motivation in doing the same for others. “At work, I’m always talking about the positives of working out,” said Del Rosario. “I constantly remind myself of the benefits, and that’s how I try to motivate my coworkers and friends to workout with me during lunch or after work.”
Additionally, Del Rosario praised the challenge for helping her and her coworkers stay motivated, “We were able to hold each other accountable through the app even if we weren’t working out together.”
In support of others who may be looking to spring into fitness, Del Rosario recommended catering fitness to their schedules. “Anything is better than nothing,” emphasized Del Rosario. “A workout doesn’t have to be an hour long. It could be 30 minutes of a quick circuit, or even taking a 10-15 minute break, stepping away from your desk and walking around campus. Everyone starts somewhere!”
For more information on upcoming challenges, visit the UC Berkeley Fitness challenge page at http://bit.ly/BerkeleyFitnessChallenges!
