Rethinking Corporate Wellness: A Weight-Neutral Approach to Employee Health
In recent years, corporate wellness challenges have become a staple in offices across the country. But what’s their history and how can we make sure they truly support employee health in a sustainable, empowering way?
The History of Corporate Wellness Challenges
Corporate wellness programs began gaining traction in the 1970s, spurred by rising healthcare costs and a growing awareness of how employee well-being influences productivity. Early initiatives were often focused on reducing insurance claims through smoking cessation, weight loss, and basic health screenings. By the 2000s, these efforts evolved into more structured challenges—steps-per-day competitions, team weight loss goals, or “Biggest Loser”-style contests—largely designed to curb long-term healthcare spending.
While these programs had good intentions, they often placed undue focus on weight, sometimes at the expense of true well-being. That’s where our unique philosophy steps in.
Understanding Insurance Wellness Incentives
Today, many insurance companies offer wellness incentives such as reduced premiums, HSA contributions, or points for completing wellness activities. From the employee’s perspective, this might look like earning rewards for completing a step challenge, attending a biometric screening, or participating in a nutrition course.
From an HR or corporate wellness coordinator’s perspective, these programs help reduce healthcare costs, improve productivity, and boost morale. But the most successful initiatives go beyond checklists and weight loss to build a culture of care and inclusivity.
Why Wellness Challenges Work
At their best, workplace wellness challenges are about more than just numbers. They’re about community. They’re about inviting movement into your day without shame or pressure. They’re about taking a lunch break walk with a coworker, or discovering a new food you genuinely enjoy.
When employees feel supported, included, and heard—especially by trained professionals who understand the nuances of behavior change—wellness becomes something more than just another HR initiative. It becomes a part of the workplace culture.
Why New Moon Challenges Are Different
At New Moon Nutrition and Wellness, we believe wellness isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about finding what helps you thrive. Our wellness challenges focus on:
Joyful movement – Not punishment-based exercise. We encourage employees to explore ways of moving that feel good in their bodies, whether that’s dancing, resistance training, walking, or stretching at their desks.
Mindful and intuitive eating – No food guilt here! We help participants reconnect with their hunger cues, explore balanced nutrition, and make peace with food—all without restrictive diets or forced “clean eating.”
Support, not shame – We never equate health with weight. Our programs are rooted in a Health at Every Size® (HAES) approach, meaning we support participants in becoming the most whole, energized version of themselves—regardless of body size.
Real-life strategies – Our challenges aren’t one-size-fits-all. We help people find what works for them to create lasting change.
Unfortunately, many programs focus heavily on weight loss and rigid rules. They may encourage people to do workouts they dread or eat foods they don’t enjoy just to chase a goal that isn’t sustainable. At New Moon, we believe there’s a better way.
You won’t find crash diets or competition-style weigh-ins here. Instead, you’ll find education, empowerment, and compassionate guidance from qualified professionals who genuinely care.
Explore Our Wellness Topics
Whether you’re looking to energize your team with a movement challenge, spark conversations about intuitive eating, or host a wellness fair that truly welcomes everyone—we’re here to help. You can explore our full list of wellness challenge topics on our website under the Corporate Wellness tab, listed under Health Fairs and Other Services.
Let’s work together to create a workplace culture that celebrates health, not just weight. Because real wellness is about more than results—it’s about respect, community, and feeling good in your own skin.
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