I heard about the Thrive Challenge from my co-worker, Christina Lawson. She went through a Challenge and recommended I sign up. My wife was already doing a step challenge through work, so I thought, “Why not do something, too?” I started by moving my body more. I was already doing the step challenge and getting 10,000 steps a day with my wife; sometimes I even get 25,000 with all the walking I do at work. We also started riding bikes, kayaking, and hiking. When I first started biking, I’d be sweating and breathing hard. Now I can easily breathe through my nose, and I’m not huffing and puffing. Before, I used to get home from work and stay up late watching T.V. and eating popcorn. I’d wake up feeling groggy with no desire to get out to kayak, bike, or hike. Now I’m going to sleep at a good time and can’t wait to get outside.
- Since starting the Thrive Challenge, I have lost almost 30 pounds.
- Cutting out soda has reduced my caloric intake by 600 calories a day.
- I’m making sure to get eight hours of sleep every night.
- Going forward, I want to focus on making Better Food Choices and eating more protein.
I’m definitely feeling more grateful. I lost my mom to cancer in December. It was very tough, but I’m feeling grateful for my health and looking forward to taking better care of myself. I’m making Better Choices like drinking sparkling water instead of soda. I used to drink about four Mountain Dew sodas a day — I think it’s what kept me on the couch. I’ve been having to tuck my belt in another loop, because I’m losing weight. I’m down two pants sizes and I’m just so happy.
—Ronald Allen, Neighborhood Market #5255; Tampa, FL; Thrive Challenge Florida $5K Winner
Through the Thrive Challenge, our community is making better, healthier choices, seeing big results, and winning big.Stories from past winners, such as Ronald Allen, prove that every individual has the power to transform their life every day through a combination of small, healthier choices and peer-to-peer inspiration.