Between playing soccer and being on the swim team growing up, Seth Orndorff has always led an active life, but, when college ended and pools became fewer and farther between, he struggled to keep active without getting bored. That is until he found the cure to his activity rut: keeping exercise fun.
“I have a variety of different activities that I do to keep things interesting,” said Orndorff, senior actuarial analyst at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE). “If I just run, I usually get tired of it, so I usually rotate between running, doing floor exercises, cycling and ice hockey. It keeps things interesting so that it’s motivating and fun to exercise.”
Ice hockey was a recent addition to Orndorff’s exercise routine, and he found it opened a new world of motivation for him.
“Running or doing floor exercises is easier now that I’m doing ice hockey because I know it will improve my hockey performance instead of just exercising to exercise,” said Orndorff.
Outside of hockey, he schedules races during the summer to have a goal in mind – something he finds important to his wellness journey.
“It’s easier to have more short-term health goals rather than just have an overall goal to live a healthy lifestyle which isn’t really measurable,” said Orndorff. “So, having goals within the next six to 12 months gives you something to strive for and look back on once you’ve accomplished it.”
He also recognizes that, similar to the way it took him time to figure out a routine, finding what works for each person takes time and he encourages people to take their time when getting back into a groove.
“If you haven’t gone on a walk or run in two years, don’t go out and try to run 10 miles,” said Orndorff. “Instead, start with a walk around the block and call it a success. It’s about setting achievable, but challenging goals.”
Orndorff also participates in the various corporate wellness challenges BCBSNE offers, such as 10K-A-Day and Spring into Motion to stay motivated.
To read more stories like this one, visit Health and Wellness.
*Wise & Well is a monthly wellness series highlighting BCBSNE employees and their dedication to health and wellness.
