DESIRE2MOVE
Registration for the 8th annual D2M physical activity challenge will open Monday, December 7, 2020.
Now, more than ever, it is important for us to be physically active. Physical activity is an effective way to manage symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, it improves our immune system, and it can be safely done in many settings. Please consider joining D2M so you can experience the benefits of physical activity in a socially supportive community. If you think your department is up to the challenge, please contact,
What is Desire2Move?
D2M is an eight-week physical activity competition between departments at Georgia State University.
Each team selects a team captain. The captain sends weekly emails to team members.
Each team member logs their minutes of physical activity. The team with the greatest average minutes at the end of the eight weeks wins a trophy — the Golden Shoe Trophy.
For more information please contact, Dr. Rebecca Ellis, Program Coordinator.
Desire2Move Information
- D2M usually begins in early February and continues for eight weeks.
- Online registration usually opens in early December and continues until the beginning of the program.
- In addition, you need to create an account with MapMyFitness (website or mobile app) or Strava (website or mobile app). These will be used to track your minutes of physical activity for the competition.
Physical activity is any intentional body movement that works your muscles and requires more energy than resting. Examples include walking the dog, jogging, golf, tennis, yoga, calisthenics, weight training, housework, yard work and so much more.- Although current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week, any amount of any type of physical activity will count towards your team’s D2M minutes.
- For our beginning participants, during the first four weeks of the challenge, your minutes will be doubled.
- D2M is a convenient and easy way to be physically active and improve your physical and mental health.
- Tracking your physical activity during D2M can help you earn well-being credits with USG.
- “Beginners” will be eligible for individualized health coaching.
- All participants will be eligible to earn great prizes. Prizes from previous years have included resistance bands, FitBits, and Amazon gift cards.
Please visit the D2M YouTube Channel for step-by-step instructions for using MapMyFitness or Strava
Map My Fitness Mobile App Instructions
Map My Fitness Website Instructions
Employee Development and Wellness Services (EDWS)
The EDWS hosts daily, weekly, and monthly activities on fitness, mental health, and nutrition.
- EDWS website: https://hr.gsu.edu/service-centers/edws/
- Wellness Calendar: https://hr.gsu.edu/service-centers/edws/wellness-calendar/
- Phone Number: 404-413-3342
Panther PERQs:
- Partnerships with local, statewide, and national businesses that offer incentives to Georgia State employees
- https://hr.gsu.edu/service-centers/edws/panther-perqs/
Mental Health Program:
- Therapy Assistance online: https://hr.gsu.edu/service-centers/edws/tao/
- On campus: EDWS (Employee Development and Wellness Services)-email request for one-on-one counseling to edws@gsu.edu
- Off campus: ESPYR-https://espyr.com/-password = USGCARES
Student Recreation Center Membership Information
- Faculty, staff, and retirees can join the Student Recreation Center for $252 x year or $84 x semester (~ $21 x month; payroll deduction).
- Faculty, staff can pay $5 for a daily pass. Personal training and nutritional consultations are available for additional cost.
- https://recreation.gsu.edu/about-us/membership/
Other Fitness Resources
Free Online Fitness Class Videos
- Altanta BeltLine Partnership (ABP)
- Various Fitness Videos: CLICK HERE
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Move Your Way: Tips for Getting Active Indoors: CLICK HERE
- Move Your Way: Tips for Busy Days: CLICK HERE
- Chair Exercises, Stretches, Tai Chi, and Yoga, Page 7: CLICK HERE
- Office Workouts, Page 10: CLICK HERE
- New York Times
- The Scientific 7-Minute Workout – From the New York Times: CLICK HERE
- National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD)
- Exercising at Home: Strength and Cardio: CLICK HERE
Meditation + Yoga Resources for Beginners
- Calm App: CLICK HERE
- Insight Timer: CLICK HERE
- Headspace: CLICK HERE
- Simply Being: CLICK HERE
How to be Active from Home
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC
- Five ways to be active at home: CLICK HERE
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- What Exercise Equipment is Good for Your Home Weight Room? CLICK HERE
- CNBC – The Best Apps for Workouts at Home if You Can’t Get to a Gym
- Most apps offer a free trial period, 1 week up to 30 days : CLICK HERE
- Types of exercises range from HIIT, Strength, Yoga, Pilates, Dance, and more
Physical Activity Safety Tips
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC
- How to Be Physically Active While Social Distancing: CLICK HERE
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- Staying Active During the Coronavirus Pandemic: CLICK HERE
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
- COVID-19: Staying Active: CLICK HERE
- Mayo Clinic
- COVID-19 safety: Tips for restaurants, salons, and the gym: CLICK HERE
- Emory University’s Dr. Marybeth Sexton
- An infectious disease expert + assistant professor of medicine was interviewed by Today.com and gives 8 mistakes to avoid when returning to the gym: CLICK HERE
Check out the latest findings about the importance of our D2M team captains.
Ellis, R., Saringer, C., Davis, A., Biber, D., & Ferrer, D. A. (2020). Examining the impact of wellness champions on the effectiveness of a workplace health and well-being program. American Journal of Health Promotion. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/0890117120929131
PREPP Lab and Psychology and Physical Activity Doctoral Concentration Alumni
- Duke Biber’s dissertation study “Self-Compassion Training within a Workplace Physical Activity Program: A Pilot Study” is in press at Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation.
- Ashlee Davis will present findings from her dissertation “An Observation of the Impact of Tailored Messages on Participant Non-Compliance in Desire2Move” at the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 2021 Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions, which will be held virtually April 12- April 16, 2021.
Previous Champions
This spring, 22 departments and 271 employees participated in the 7th annual Desire2Move (D2M) Physical Activity Challenge, an 8-week team-based competition. Team members tracked their minutes of physical activity and the department with the greatest overall average minutes was the winner.
Returning teams (with team captains) were Biology (Francisco Cruz), College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Office (Matt Gillett), Counseling and Psychological Services (Katie Lowry), Honors College (Larry Berman), Human Resources-Downtown (Tony Price), Kinesiology and Health-Downtown (Pete Rohleder), Kinesiology and Health-Perimeter (Tony Serpico), Middle and Secondary Education (Gwen Kearney), Nursing (Kenya Kirkendoll), Nutrition (Molly Paulson), Physical Therapy (Masiki Williamson), Public Health (Lynette Reid), Recreational Services (Larissa Brown), University Library (Scott Pieper), and World Languages and Cultures (Vicky Hanning).
This year we also welcomed seven new teams including Communication Sciences and Disorders (Teresa Graham), Early Childhood and Elementary Education (Rebecca Clough), Human Resources-Perimeter (Immanuel Chandler), Learning Sciences (Brendan Calandra), Panther Dining (Leslie Knapp), Police (Tamika Murden), and University Housing (Jolia Alexander).
The 2020 D2M Team Champion was Recreational Services (captained by Larissa Brown). They won the coveted Golden Shoe Trophy with a team average of 6922 physical activity minutes. Physical Therapy (5787 minutes) and Middle and Secondary Education (4263 minutes) finished second and third, respectively. Unfortunately, we were unable to hold our Awards Ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so we do not have pictures of our team champion, MVPs, and raffle winners. We hope everyone stays well and we get to see you in 2021 for the 8th annual D2M Physical Activity Challenge.
Congratulations goes to the 2020 Most Valuable Beginner Participant, Zachary Schneider (Recreational Services) who completed 9954 minutes of physical activity during the challenge. Other top minute earners in this category were Hailey Hester (Recreational Services; 9159 minutes), Jennifer Sukanek (Recreational Services; 6637 minutes), and Masiki Williamson (Physical Therapy; 5456 minutes).
Congratulations also goes to the 2020 Most Valuable Participant, Courtney Strosnider (Kinesiology & Health-Downtown) who completed 10,162 minutes of physical activity during the challenge. Other top minute earners in this category were Emily Williams (University Library; 8390 minutes), Gordon Warren (Physical Therapy; 8383 minutes), and Tattiana Hardrick (Middle and Secondary Education; 8320 minutes).
Our MVPs each earned a $50.00 gift card to Under Amour. We also raffled off seven Amazon e-gift cards. The lucky winners were:
Lynette Reid (Public Health)-$100.00
Liliam Martinez Bello (Biology)-$50.00
Caroline Williams (Panther Dining)-$50.00
Ruchi Bhatnagar (College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Office)-$25.00
Leslie Gillett (College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Office)-$25.00
Jennifer Sukanek (Recreational Services)-$25.00
Dewayne Scarborough (Human Resources-Downtown)-$25.00
Congratulations to the winning team and to all the amazing competitors!
- 2014: Kinesiology and Health
- 2015: Recreational Services
- 2016: Honors College
- 2017: Honors College
- 2018: Physical Therapy
- 2019: Physical Therapy
- 2020: Recreational Services