citi logo
My Account
PERSPECTIVES

Citi Fitness: Promoting a Culture of Health

September 12, 2013
Lori Zimmerman, Corporate Medical Director, Citi
Megan Grabel, Health Promotion Manager, Citi

Physical inactivity is a reality that busy working professionals face every day. Since many of Citi's employees are desk-based, we supply a variety of fitness and health education programs to encourage them to pursue heart-healthy activities. In fact, Citi was nationally recognized with a Platinum Level Fit-Friendly Company Award in 2011 and 2012. The award is given to "extraordinary" employers who go above and beyond in promoting workplace health and represented an improvement over our Gold Level award in 2010.

Citi's Global Fitness Challenge

In efforts to address the everyday risks associated with sedentary lifestyles and encourage our employees to get fit, Citi has developed initiatives such as the Citi Global Fitness Challenge. Citi's Global Fitness Challenge was launched in October of 2012 and the response has been phenomenal: 45,000 employees from 97 countries participated.

Participants commit to increase their daily physical activity over 4 weeks. Activities can range from walking, cycling, running or swimming and they earn points for achieving personal fitness goals. Citi converts these points into donations to employees' chosen international charities. Burning calories for a good cause is not only fun, but a great way to promote team building! Stay tuned for more information about this year's Fitness Challenge in October 2013.

What can you do to increase your physical activity during the work day? Start with walking! Below are 4 tips on how to stay fit at work.

1. Walk the block. Whether you're grabbing a cup of coffee or taking a walk during lunch, physical activity loosens up your body and helps our minds think clearer, making it easier for us to come up with creative solutions. Even small bouts of physical activity can help you reach the recommended goal of 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

2. Stretch at your desk. Try shrugging your shoulders, do neck rolls by looking down and rolling your head in a circular motion to the left then right, and loosen hands with air circles. Check here for more tips.

3. Have a walking meeting. If you are meeting with 2 or 3 people, make the meeting a walking meeting and go for a stroll while you chat.

4. Stand up during calls. If you're on the phone a lot during the day, try standing or walking while talking.

Learn more about how to Get Moving and Live Well at Citi.

Sign up to receive the latest news from Citi.

Select Preferences