by Connie Kim

One month into the new year, and with many students giving up on their New Year’s resolution by now, the Hamilton Recreation Center is offering a beacon of hope to pick up where they left off. The gym is starting their annual Get Fit Challenge for 2017, and sign-ups are currently underway.

If anyone is looking to lose that few extra pounds or just looking for a healthier lifestyle change, this program may be that door of opportunity. Colorado Mesa University students can sign up for the nine-week program for a small one-time fee of $40. For faculty members, the fee is $45.

Here is a general outline of how the program will pan out over the course of nine weeks: the participant will first set an appointment for a 15-minute pre-evaluation that includes body fat testing, three-minute step test, and a brief discussion regarding fitness goals. During this time, they will evaluate body fat percentage through the Bod Pod, which will be used to compare results at the end of the program. They then consult with a registered dietitian who will cover meal planning, specific diet related information and healthy recipes. Personal trainers will have a total of 14 workout sessions and group exercise activities that are open exclusively for program participants throughout the different days of the week. Halfway through the program participants will check in with their dietitian and/or personal trainer to see how things are going, and are evaluated once again at the end of the challenge. The fee also includes two one-hour nutrition info sessions, and workout classes will be 45 minutes long with a ratio of 10 to 15 participants per trainer.

Throughout the nine-week course, they will be giving out prizes to participants nearly every other week, and the overall winners for the most fat loss will get the grand prize. The male and female with the most loss will each get the cash prize of $100, and the second place winner will win a free 90-minute massage. In previous sessions from years before, the first place winner lost a total of about six percent body fat. This will be the fourth year that the recreation center will be hosting the Get Fit Challenge.

“Each year we are learning how we can improve the challenge and make it even better for our CMU students, faculty and staff,” Kylie Holley, a manager for the Hamilton Recreation Center, said.

All students and faculty members are welcome to sign up for the challenge until Jan. 31. While the program is limited to 60 people, there are still some slots available. All who are interested in registering must register in person at the front desk before the deadline.  Payment must be made at the time of registration.

“I’m really looking forward to giving it a try,” Kameron Paige, senior at CMU, said. “Spring break is coming up, so this came at the perfect time.”

“Our mission is to get as many people as we can excited and motivated to get fit,” Holley said. “We are here to support participants in both their fitness goals and nutrition-related goals, and we have a great staff of professionals to get that done.”