The Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) announced March 2, the 15th annual Crews Into Shape Challenge, which takes place throughout the month of March.

Crews Into Shape is held every March in conjunction with National Nutrition Month® and is sponsored annually by the NMCPHC HPW Department. It is a four-week challenge that uses a team approach to promote wellness, combining the support of friends, colleagues, and family members to work toward a healthier lifestyle. The challenge is open to all active duty and Reserve service members in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, as well as Department of Defense (DoD) family members and civilians.

"The Crews Into Shape challenge continues NMCPHC's ongoing commitment to provide programs that support lifelong healthy behaviors and lifestyles," said Bob MacDonald, director of Crews Into Shape at NMCPHC. "Through this challenge, our goal is to provide a fun, free, and team-oriented activity that helps promote and guide improved physical activity and healthy eating habits."

Participants generate teams comprised of up to ten members, create a team name, and earn points based on NMCPHC's standardized rules and scoring system. Points are accrued for eating two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables daily, performing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or 15 minutes of vigorous exercise daily, maintaining or achieving a goal weight, and engaging in other healthy activities.

Since 2001, Crews Into Shape has been a staple health and wellness initiative within the DoD community and both participation and public response has been tremendously positive.

"In 2014, We had 1,786 registered crew members and 267 teams from across the DoD family," said MacDonald. "Participants have consistently stated that Crews Into Shape facilitates an effective approach to health and fitness that recognizes both individual and team achievements."

Get ready to get Crewsin' in 2015 and submit your registration to NMCPHC by 28 February 2015!

Visit the official Crews Into Shape website for registration details and resources supporting this year's challenge: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/Pages/crews-into-shape.aspx.

For more news from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, visit www.navy.mil/.