I’ve always focused on fitness. I’m always training for half-marathons, but I wanted to be more balanced in my regiment. And with the COVID shutdown, I needed something to occupy my time and focus. Rachel Fawcett, one of my former colleagues at Lakeshore Fitness Center, talked about the Thrive Challenge. So I tried it to hold myself accountable. During the first few weeks of the COVID shutdown, I found myself sitting behind my computer, and before I knew it, three or four hours would go by. I was falling into sedentary habits. Now, I wake up and do core exercises and then go for a bike ride or a run. In the evenings, I’ll go for a walk with my dogs or a hike with my wife.
- Before COVID hit, my wife and I hardly saw each other because of our busy work schedules. Now, we’re doing the Thrive Challenge together and having dinner together five nights a week.
- Each day, I set a workout schedule for myself.
- Since starting the Challenge, I’m trying to maintain a more positive mindset.
Before the Challenge, I wasn’t in balance. I was too extreme and only focused on heavy training for half-marathons, whereas now, I am comfortable with just going for a walk. I am satisfied with simply moving my body. As the women’s soccer coach at Muskegon Community College, I’m also trying to lead by example. I try to remind the girls that fitness is a lifestyle, it’s not just for sports. When they see me out there doing a six-mile run, it helps them buy into the program a little more, because they know I’m not just sitting there barking out orders — we’re going through this together. And I try to remind our players that their thoughts are part of it, too. Anytime you’re doing a physical activity, it’s easy to compare your performance to someone else’s. When it comes down to it, you just have to be you throughout your journey. All you have to do is be better today than you were yesterday.
—Jeff Lohman, Muskegon, MI; Walmart Customer; Thrive Challenge Muskegon $1K Winner
Through the Thrive Challenge, our community is making better, healthier choices, seeing big results, and winning big.Stories from past winners, such as Jeff Lohman, 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.