Food for thought as County Durham Sport urges workers to give up their lunchtime to get fit

AN activity challenge has been launched to encourage more people in County Durham to get up from their desks and get active during their lunch breaks.
Run by County Durham Sport in the county, the Active Lunch Challenge, which runs until February 28, promotes opportunities to get active and log their efforts online – everything from office aerobics to desk yoga exercises.
It’s all part of Workplace Challenge. An estimated 40 per cent of people do not exercise enough, according to Public Health England, and research conducted by Workplace Challenge partners, the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC), shows that time is the biggest barrier to sport and activity.
By encouraging participation during the lightest and brightest part of the day, the Active Lunch Challenge will also help tackle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Ian Gardiner, executive director for County Durham Sport, said: “It’s so important that more people introduce physical activity into and around their working day, but the perception for many is that it’s just too difficult achieve.
“In fact, small steps can make a real difference. We want people to get away from their desks, get off the shop floor and get out of the factory – it doesn’t matter what they do, the most important thing is that they take steps to change their normal routine.”
County Durham Sport is working with local employers to host events, organise office fitness classes, provide inspiration and encourage teams to get involved. They are also running a competition via their social media pages for one office to win a pop up table tennis kit.
County Durham employees can sign up for Workplace Challenge for free, where they can log activity and compete against others in company-wide, local and national challenges.
For more details, visit www.workplacechallenge.org.uk or email cdsport@county durhamsport.com.