The Burnt Chef Project has launched a global active challenge, which aims to get hospitality professionals from around the world exercising and creating healthy habits by focusing on exercise.
The fundraising initiative will run from Monday 9th May - Sunday 22nd May 2022, coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Week and will see hospitality teams of up to five people per team compete against each other to climb the highest virtual mountain by achieving the most active minutes.
Teaming up with virtual challenge hosts - Magic Mountain, the fundraiser looks to get international teams competing with each other to connect and inspire a sense of community within the workplace whilst benefiting participants' mental health through exercise.
Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. A recent study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent relapse.
The challenge entry fee is £20/ person with all monies raised goes towards The Burnt Chef Projects ongoing development of a free-to-access bank of ten modules designed to support catering & hospitality students in building personal coping mechanisms and resilience skill sets as well as funding new modules for the internationally available Burnt Chef Academy app.
Kris Hall, Founder of The Burnt Chef project said “People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of wellbeing. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it’s also a powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to deal with mental health problems, improve your energy and outlook, and get more out of life. What better time to start implementing healthy habits to benefit our mental health than Mental Health Awareness week. Our two week challenge is designed to get people committed to exercise by showing them it doesn't have to be intense gym sessions every day - just getting active is enough to boost your mood”.
Magic Mountain’s CEO, Katy Brown, said “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with The Burnt Chef Project. Our team movement challenges are designed to make movement fun, and in doing so, support our physical, mental and social wellbeing. We give everyone the motivation they need to step away from their screen, take a break from work and move in any way that works for them. It’s not about being an athlete, running marathons or climbing literal mountains. It’s about doing a walking meeting rather than a Zoom, cycling to the shops instead of driving or booking that yoga class you’ve been wanting to try. Most importantly, any movement counts - whoever you are and however you like to move. Magic Mountain is for everyone, regardless of age, ability or fitness level. You don’t need any kind of fitness tracker to take part (though it does sync with them seamlessly), you just need to join a team and get moving as much, or as little, as you like.”
