Jumpstart Your Fitness with ‘Fit in 15’ in June

Stay active for 15 days to earn rewards in the Duke employee wellness program’s fitness challenge

A stack of hand weights rests next to a running shoe
Fit in 15 encourages participants to engage in moderate activity for 30 minutes per day for at least 15 days during a month.

When Isabella Castineyra began working at Duke in July 2024, she was fresh off a year spent teaching English in Spain. She had spent her free time traveling throughout Europe and focusing less on her fitness.

Shortly after she moved to Durham, an email from LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness program, arrived in her inbox telling her about a fitness challenge called “Fit in 15.” It was precisely what she was looking for exactly when she needed it.

“I was not working out the way I should have been, and when I got here, I said, ‘All right, I’m ready to get in shape,’” said Castineyra, an Admissions Officer in Duke’s Fuqua School of Business.

Fit in 15 encourages participants to engage in moderate aerobic activity for 30 minutes per day for at least 15 days during a month. This year’s Fit in 15 challenge runs from June 2 to 30. Registration is open.

The activity can be any kind of cardiovascular exercise, from walking to running to swimming to biking or strength training. Registrants will receive weekly motivational emails, information on forms of aerobic exercise and more.  

Everyone who completes the challenge requirements earns 50 LIVE FOR LIFE Dollars, a Monopoly-like money that can be used to purchase fitness-related items.

A woman takes a selfie as she walks on a sidewalk
Isabella Castineyra says "Fit in 15" helped jumpstart her fitness routine with regular walks when she started working at Duke in 2024. Photo courtesy of Isabella Castineyra

"Fit in 15 empowers employees to make exercise a seamless part of their daily routine,” said Carlos Velasquez, a Fitness Specialist for LIVE FOR LIFE. “It’s the perfect way to stay motivated and boost your fitness throughout the month of June while earning rewards for your commitment."

According to the most recent Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should incorporate 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week – which equates to 30 minutes per day, five days a week. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ most recent data says 26% of men and 19% of women meet that recommended level of activity.

A year ago, Castineyra used Fit in 15 to motivate her to begin and stay dedicated to her fitness routine at her new job and her new city. She would often explore the Al Buehler Trail for a regular 3-mile walk from her Fuqua office or hop over to the East Campus Loop for a change in scenery. She’d come straight back to her desk and log her activity for Fit in 15.

She was one of the most dedicated participants, working out for 28 days last August for a total of 1,585 minutes.

“It provided me with a routine when I was still adjusting to being here at Duke and in Durham,” Castineyra said.

A year later, Castineyra plans to participate in Fit in 15, again – this time with her fitness routine and plan to stay active already in place. 

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