Nuts About Southwest

New Year’s resolutions are in full swing at Southwest Airlines-if I had a dollar for every Coworker that has said theirs is to lose weight and get healthy (myself included), I would be rich!

One group that wants to make sure they stick to their promises sits right here in the Executive Office with me. This crowd is determined to be ready for their dresses at the SWA Annual Awards Banquet in June, no matter what it takes…including drinking the recommended amount of water (at least 48 ounces) every single day.

For some, that’s easy; but for others, it’s a bit of a struggle; thus were born the twice daily water drinking contests in the SWA Executive Office Breakroom. Once in the morning and once after lunch every day an ever-growing group of health conscious Employees stands in a circle with their 16.9 ounces of water ready to go (16.9 oz x 2 contests=almost all your water for the day!)  An innocent bystander counts to three, and the contest begins to see who can finish their water the fastest. 

Everyone has different techniques: the reigning champion, Aimee Oldenburg, throws her head back and holds it with her hand--she says it supports her neck; some play their first few rounds with a glass, but quickly learn that a bottle is easier; and it takes only one water drinking contest to learn that room temperature water is the only way to go less you run the risk of a brain freeze.

Are we crazy?--of course! There was never really any doubt about that even before the water contests began.  But now we’re crazy and hydrated and ready for 2009 to be our healthiest year yet.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this, it’s that having a support group can seriously help you stick to your resolution-even if you are competing with each other. 

Are any of you out there doing anything FUN to help you stick to your New Year’s Resolutions? 

P.S.- I beat Aimee this morning.