Picture above (from left to right) Zoe Vulic, Bonnie Giampa, Briar Krieger and Kathryn Walker (Health Management Consultant)

It’s fun and it’s a challenge – and Brock Health, Safety and Wellness wants you to be a part of it.

It’s called the ‘8 Week Challenge.’

And for Bonnie Giampa and Briar Krieger what started out as a side project is now something that is part of their everyday lives, and something they hope can enrich yours.

“Bonnie and I opened up a gym nine years ago called Balance Fitness Studio in Virgil,” explained Krieger. “We thought that was going to be our be all end all. Probably about six months in members we’re coming to me and asking about nutrition and wondering how they get results.

They were coming to Bonnie as well and saying, ‘I’m exercising everyday but not seeing results.’ That’s when Bonnie and I sat down and said, you know what? It’s 80 per cent food and 20 per cent exercise. We searched for programs but nothing was what we really believed in or liked. We wanted something to be user friendly, fun, and that needed to be a challenge. We realized in this day and age, unless you challenge people they’re never going to change.

We ran a pilot project within our gym, and saw amazing results. So we then decided to run it outside our gym, in our community, and still the same – amazing results.”

Bonnie is also quick to point out that the old adage is true – you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Forty per cent of people that look healthy, or trim or fit, on the outside are still on blood pressure or cholesterol medications,” Giampa said. “Looking at someone’s exterior shell doesn’t give a true depiction on what’s going on in the inside. They could still be living on a bag of chips or a can of diet coke.

We’re teaching lifestyle. One billion per cent it’s a lifestyle change, but when they know it’s attainable and they see such magnificent results in such a short period of time – you can start reversing blood sugar and cholesterol levels within three weeks.”

What makes the ‘8 Week Challenge’ even more enticing is the direct interaction you’ll get from Bonnie and Briar.

“We take you and we guide you and support you the entire time. There’s nothing that we can’t work with. If you’re busy, if you’re that corporate person driving around in your car, living in a hotel, or that sports person that is away every weekend at tournaments with their kids- there’s nothing we can’t work with, even if if you’re on a gluten free diet, vegetarian or vegan that’s not a problem either.”

Zoe Vulic, Brock’s Manager of Health Management thinks the ‘8 Week Challenge’ is a perfect fit for the University’s staff and faculty.

“Within Health Management and Wellness we run wellness initiatives on a regular basis and I think individuals spend so much time at work and with their work colleagues that it would be good to pull together and issue this challenge that everyone could participate in and hopefully attain strong results from.

Human Resources has entered a team to positively impact our health and wellness.

And there’s an added incentive to get involved.

“For the first 100 people that sign up, we’re going to cover the first $25 of the cost,” Vulic said.

All staff and faculty are invited to an information session on Thursday, January 8 at 2 pm in AS 202. Registration for this session is required on the Focus on Learning section of the HR Webpage.

For more information you can visit www.8weekchallenge.com

It’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge that will change their lives,” Giampa added.
“It’s not winning a million bucks, but you get your life back, and that’s like winning a million bucks. It’s life altering.”

Vulic is hoping for a great turnout.

“Join us on January 8th to learn more about this initiative and take the first step to improve your health in 2015.”