THE management of Sandals Royal Caribbean has committed to the health and fitness of their team, members with the launch of their SRC Fitness Challenge recently, which will run from August 4 to September 26.

According to Training and Development Manager Johnnel Smith, who is responsible for coordinating the programme on resort, “Healthier team members are more active, happy and confident, which allows them to give better service.”

She noted that Sandals Royal Caribbean has always been known for providing impeccable service, but that in order to maintain high standards, the resort is keen to create programmes that will ensure that its team members are putting their “best selves” forward.

“They want to be healthier; they just need that extra motivation and guidance. This is what the SRC Fitness Challenge is all about,” said Smith. “Through this challenge we hope to provide guidance on better eating habits and motivate team members to take control of their health and develop healthier habits.”

At the start of the challenge, the starting weight of each contender was determined, they were then placed on a seven-day detox programme. Over the next eight weeks, contenders will work in two groups, participating in scheduled workouts and guided by a trained gym pro. Each workout session will incorporate 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training, utilising state-of-the-art equipment.

The contenders will also be required to log all the food they eat. “This allows them to keep track of their calorie intake and compare their results,” said Smith. “They will also be provided with a personalised dietary plan.”

Both groups will have a weekly weigh-in to track the progress of each contender and on September 25, a final weigh-in will determine the contender who has lost the greatest percentage of body fat.

Worldwide epidemiological studies prove that there is a connection between obesity and several chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart and kidney disease, and hypertension.

Another major factor that presents a challenge for persons trying to lose weight or lead a healthier life is the availability or access to healthy food options. People spend a great percentage of time at work, therefore what they consume while on the job accounts for a major part of their overall diet and will inevitably impact their ability to achieve their weight loss goals. As such, following the lead of the Training and Development Department, the Food and Beverage team at Sandals Royal Caribbean will also be revamping the staff restaurant menu to incorporate healthier breakfast, lunch and dinner options for the staff.