NEMCC's Burgess Fitness Center making transition to a healthier lifestyle easier

by Michael H. Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (01/09/2024) — Northeast Mississippi Community College's Burgess Fitness Center is helping those who have trouble getting into the gym a little easier.

Northeast's Burgess Fitness Center is holding its annual Lighten Up Northeast Challenge from January 15 through February 25, but unlike previous years, the workout facility is getting a little help in motivating individuals to keep to their health resolutions.

Hill Family Eye Center has come on board to help sponsor this year's competition, and in return, the Burgess Fitness Center is offering a share of a $600 pot to Lighten Up Northeast participants who accomplish eight (8) or more of the 10 set health objectives during the challenge.

For example, if 10 participants successfully complete the challenge, each of the winning participants will be awarded $60. If 20 participants successfully complete the challenge, each of the winning participants will be awarded $30, and so on. Winners from the competition will be contacted and announced on Monday, March 4.

Members of the Burgess Fitness Center can sign up for the competition through Friday, January 19 at

https://nemcc.formstack.com/forms/sp24_lighten_up_ne_fitness_challenge_registration_form

For those wanting to take part in the competition, the rules are simple. Participants need to complete eight (8) of the 10 health-related goals to be part of the winning prize pool and must complete the objectives in a six-week period (January 15-February 25).

Health objectives are to be completed via forms provided by the Burgess Fitness Center, either electronically or via hard copies, by emailing Burgess Fitness Center director Robert Walker at rdwalker@nemcc.edu.

Forms can be sent electronically or handed in at the Burgess Fitness Center by Wednesday, February 28.

Objectives for the competition include:

• Pre-Body Competition Composition (Height, Weight, Age, Gender, Body Fat Percentage, Body Mass Index): This can be completed at Burgess Fitness Center until Friday, January 19, at 12 p.m. Participants can have their pre-body competition composition performed Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. (noon). If a participant cannot make it to Booneville for a pre-body competition composition, email Walker at rdwalker@nemcc.edu so that an appointment can be made. Accommodations will be made for those competing away from the Booneville campus. Participants will receive a free Burgess Fitness Center T-shirt for completing this goal.
  
• Post-Body Competition Composition (Height, Weight, Age, Gender, Body Fat Percentage, Body Mass Index): This can be completed at Burgess Fitness Center between Monday, February 19 and Friday, February 23 at 12 p.m. Participants can have their post-body competition composition performed Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. (noon). If a participant cannot make it to Booneville for a pre-body competition composition, email Walker at rdwalker@nemcc.edu so that an appointment can be made. Accommodations will be made for those competing away from the Booneville campus.
  
• 15 fitness classes: Participants may carry out this by taking a class at Burgess Fitness Center or any other gym or facility, or those taking part in the competition may also take an online class through a streaming platform.
  
• 18 Meditation sessions: Each session must last at least 10 minutes. A participant may complete this with any type of quiet time, prayer, or guided meditation.
  
• 18 Strength Training Sessions: This goal can be accomplished by lifting weights or engaging in body-weight exercises at Burgess Fitness Center, in another gym, or at home. Sessions must last at least 15 minutes; however, a participant cannot take a 30-minute class to satisfy the requirements for the strength training sessions and the fitness class sessions at the same time.
  
• 24 aerobic/cardio activity Sessions: Each session must consist of 30 minutes of cardio activity within a 24-hour period. Examples of aerobic/cardiovascular activity include taking a walk, jogging, swimming, biking, or rowing. Sessions can be broken up into two 15-minute sessions, but a participant cannot take a 30-minute class to satisfy the requirements for the aerobic/cardiovascular activities and the fitness class sessions at the same time.
  
• 30 Days of Drinking Eight Cups (64 Oz) of Water: A participant must drink at least eight cups (64 Oz) of water per day for 30 days. Only water counts toward the overall total of liquids consumed.
  
• 30 Blood Pressure Measurements: Participants need to record 30 blood pressure measurements during the competition to complete this objective.
  
• 30 Days of Completing a Food Log: A participant must document all food and drink consumed for 30 separate days to complete this goal.
  
• 40 Days of Completing a Sleep Log: A participant must document how much sleep is acquired for 40 separate days to complete this objective.

In addition to the Lighten Up Northeast challenge, the Burgess Fitness Center is offering an incentive program to help fulfill the 15 fitness class objective. Through the Burgess Fitness Center's Incentive Program, those who take a set number of classes at the fitness center will receive a variety of prizes.

For those who attend 10 classes between January 2 and August 9, participants will receive a Burgess Fitness Center towel, and the prizes get better with the more classes attended.

For those who attended 15 classes, participants will receive a Burgess Fitness Center T-shirt, and for those who make it to 20 classes during the time, those participants will receive a pair of waterproof wireless Bluetooth EarPods.

More information about the Lighten Up Northeast Challenge at the Burgess Fitness Center can be found at https://nemcc.formstack.com/forms/sp24_lighten_up_ne_fitness_challenge_registration_form or by emailing the fitness center's director, Robert Walker, at rdwalker@nemcc.edu.

For anyone, who is not a member of the Burgess Fitness Center and would like to become a member, the fitness center offers conveient 3-, 6- and 12-month signups at some of the lowest gym membership registration costs in the area.

More information can be found at https://nemcc.formstack.com/forms/burgessmembership

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