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What is Active for Life?
VSU's Active for Life program is an 8-week program designed to encourage employees (faculty, staff and student employees) to be more active on a regular basis by setting goals and forming teams for motivation and support. Regular physical activity has been shown to improve job performance and morale, lower absenteeism and turnover, reduce disability days, and lower medical costs. Active for Life is an employee wellness program designed and sponsored by the American Cancer Society.
How it works:
- Flexible, 10-week team-based work site physical activity program (NOTE: The VSU challenge is an 8-week program that runs October 17-December 11)
- Team-based approach, with ability to set individual goals
- Receive a point for each minute of physical activity – counts toward individual and team goals, recognition and prize incentives
- Points are recorded online or offline using the American Cancer Society materials
- Participants, Team Captains, and Directors provide encouragement to succeed
- Based on the Stages of Change Theory and the American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines for Physical Activity
How to get started:
Become a Team Captain
As a Team Captain, you will have access to reports for your Active For Life team. Information and support for this role is available in the Campaign Tools and Tips tabs once you have accepted the invitation.
Click here to accept the Team Captain invitation.
https://www.activeforlife.org/Default.aspx?invite=3f7ead66-6132-4fd3-bc13-0141f1fcf6ea
After accepting the invitation, access the Active For Life program by using or creating your ACS Account to sign in at http://www.activeforlife.org
Click HERE to download the PowerPoint for more information about being a Team Captain.
Become a Participant
Team Captains invite participants to join their team. Or you can search for a team to join by using the steps below.
- Go to http://www.activeforlife.org/
- Select Join a team
- Enter Company name Valdosta State University and Company Password vsuwellness
- If you don't know the team name or captain name, click search by team name and a full listing will appear
Timeline:
- Team Captain Meeting - October 11 at 4:00 PM, University Center Live Oak Conference Room
- Kick-off Celebration - October 14 at 2:00 PM, Student Union Ballroom C
- 8-week contest period runs from October 17-December 11 (NOTE: Access to the American Cancer Society program is available for 10 weeks)
- Ending Celebration scheduled for December 13 at 10:30 AM, University Center Magnolia Room
Newsletters
Prizes and Recognition
Current prizes include:
$100 American Express Gift Card drawn for each level (Grand Prize)
$25 Winn Dixie Gift Card
$25 GNC Gift Card
$25 Home Depot Gift Card
$25 SAM Gift Card
$30 Best Buy Gift Card
$30 VSU Bookstore/Techshop
Blazer Athletics Passes
2 tickets to the March Valdosta Symphony performance
2 VSU Theatre Season Passes
Spring Semester Membership to Campus Recreation
YMCA day passes and Mug
Care Medical 30 Minute Massages
Mindful Massage 30 Minutes Cards
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why do we care so much about physical activity?
A. Recent studies have shown that people can greatly improve their health by being more physically active. Most major health organizations recommend that people be at least moderately active for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week, and stay within a healthy weight range.
Q. What is moderate activity?
A. Moderate activity is anything that makes you breathe as hard as you would during a brisk walk. Walking, swimming, bicycle riding, gardening, heavy housework, dancing, yoga, and many mother fun activities count as moderate activity.
Q. Why does moderate activity like walking count as much as vigorous activity like aerobics?
A. Active for Life is an individual challenge as much as a team event. It is about reaching the goals you set for yourself. We do not want to make people do activities that they do not enjoy or are not fit enough to participate in. We are trying to challenge people to be more active, at their own pace and at whatever they enjoy doing. People who are active - whether moderately or vigorously - have a lower risk for disease and disability than people who do not do anything at all.
Q. What are Bonus Points?
A. These are points you can obtain by participating in other health related activity.
To download the Bonus Points Chart, click on the link below.
BONUS POINTS AVAILABLE
Q. Why are goal setting and record keeping important?
A. Goal setting and record keeping are important tools for helping people change their behavior. Goal setting allows people to take an honest look at where they are and where they would like to be. Record keeping allows people to monitor progress toward their goals. These two tools have been demonstrated to help people develop a variety of healthy habits, includign being more active.
Q. How do I know if I am setting my goals correctly?
A. The purpose of goal setting is to help you improve your habits by challenging yourself. Take a look at what you currently do, and challenge yourself to do a little bit more. Make sure you set goals for yourself that you can reach. Remember that change does not happen overnight. It's the small steps that get you where you want to go.
Q. Do I have to be active during work?
A. No. People can find time to be active before, during or after work. They can find active things to do on the weekend, and they can learn ways to work activity into everyday life, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, during some stretches at your desk, having a walking meeting, For people to be active on a regular basis, they have to find ways to be active that fit with their lifestyles.
Q. Do I have to join a team to participate?
A. You can create a team of one which will allow you to participate.
Q. Is there a required number of people needed for a team?
A. There is no minimum or maximum number.
Five people seems to be a good size, but it is not required.
Q. Why do we have teams?
A. The team concept is designed to provide support and encouragement. You do not have to exercise together. But if you can exercise together, sometimes it is more fun!