challenges

Step challenge idea: Less Sugar, More Steps

blog author
Aubrey
Sep 26, 2019

There’s no need to sugarcoat it: sweets negatively impact your energy, diet and memory.

Once you start, you just can’t stop. Sugar acts as a reward to the human brain and causes us to crave more and more of those sweet, sweet treats. The result? Excessive hunger, overeating and an overload of sugar in the bloodstream.

However, sugar does more than wreck your diet plans. Studies have shown that excessive amounts of sugar cause inflammation in the brain, which can negatively impact your memory and attention. As a result, learning and motor skills also suffer.*

And then there’s that tricky sugar rush. While you may experience a burst of energy after eating your favorite candy bar, it’s short lived and is quickly followed by "a sharp drop of energy levels," leading to fatigue and less energy than before.*

While free office donuts are tempting, they’re definitely not going to help your employees reach their A-game at work. Help your organization lay off the sweet stuff with a step challenge that encourages participants to reduce their sugar intake in order to stay healthy, energized and productive.

Get your energy from exercise, not sugar.

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily sugar limit for men is 36 grams and 25 grams for women.* To put it in perspective, a 12 oz can of soda contains 47 grams of sugar! Encourage your employees to get their energy from exercise, not sugar, by taking 4,257 steps a day, the effort required to work off a sugar-filled can of soda.

Challenge Details

Challenge Mode: Streak

Duration: 21 days

Goal: Take 4,257 steps per day during this 21 day challenge

Content Strategy

Leverage our content module to educate participants about the negative effects of sugar and how common snacks and drinks are loaded with this not-so-sweet ingredient. Articles will also highlight topics like workplace diet choices and healthy, low-sugar foods.

Note: Be sure to include a content module in your challenge, then upload and schedule the above articles and videos.

Rewards Strategy

To keep users engaged and ensure that everyone has a chance to win, we suggest utilizing a points-based raffle strategy. Participants can earn one point just for joining the group and one additional point for each day they meet the daily goal. At the end of the challenge, turn user points into raffle tickets and hold a lottery drawing to reward the winner with a prize!

Prize Ideas

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-sugar-affects-the-brain-4065218

https://www.livestrong.com/article/374773-the-effect-of-sugar-on-energy-level/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/eating-to-boost-energy

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars

https://www.livestrong.com/article/295626-how-many-calories-are-in-one-gram-of-sugar/

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