As the holiday season quickly approaches, the faculty and staff at Grand Valley State University are encouraged to join a Priority Health Challenge in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the season.

The Hold it For the Holidays Challenge is an eight-week long program that attempts to promote healthy choices for all faculty and staff members who wish to participate. GVSU has held this challenge for at least eight years.

In order to join, there is a weigh-in occurring between Nov. 23 and Nov. 24.

Participants have two choices at the time of their weigh-in: pay $5 if their goal is to maintain their weight over the duration of the program, or pay $10 if their goal is to lose five or more pounds.

“The holiday season is a tough time for stress and weight gain with all of the parties and events,” said Lindsey DesArmo, a health and wellness specialist in human resources. “This way, faculty and staff can put a little skin in the game to try to maintain or lose weight.”

The university stresses that it is a priority for faculty and staff, as well as students, to make healthy choices.

“Hold it For the Holidays is a great idea but should be something we all strive for every day,” said Karen Lewis, allied health sciences assistant professor. “The fuel we give our bodies and the exercise we do contribute significantly to how we feel and perform every day.”

Ranelle Brew, associate professor of public health, agreed with Lewis that this program is essential for students too.

“A student with a healthy lifestyle means more energy, more of a clear mind and higher success in the classroom overall,” Brew said.

Throughout the program, participants will be given recipes and health tips to help them along.

DesArmo said these tips will include nutrition tips and information like how to eat healthy at a holiday party, exercises to burn calories and stress, as well as healthy recipes.

The health and wellness department hopes the program will continue to provide encouragement to its members and promote healthy living.

“Fill up your water bottle, take a walk around campus or to the library, grab an apple or some carrots and get some sleep,” Lewis said.

The final weigh-in for participants will occur between Jan. 4 and Jan. 8.

This year, weigh-ins will take place in the human resources department on the Allendale Campus, the Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon and in the DeVos and Seidman buildings on the Pew Campus.

Any participants who accomplish their goal of maintaining or losing weight will receive their money back.

Furthermore, prize drawings will be held for everyone who weighs in after the new year, regardless of whether they maintained or lost the weight. These prizes include Gazette Sports and campus dining gift cards.

For more information about Hold it For the Holidays or healthy living, visit www.gvsu.edu/healthwellness.