Frequently Asked Questions

What is Activate South Carolina?
Activate South Carolina is a FREE year-round healthy living awareness program that targets youth and adult obesity and related diseases. The program encourages participants to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days per week by completing their daily activity log online.  Participants will receive Healthy Living information about nutrition, exercise and health education weekly on the website.   Participants also take part in weekly and monthly weigh-ins and counseling, as well as attend “Health Talks,” a series of lectures by wellness and medical experts that focus on topics related to health and wellness.  Participants will be challenged to begin healthy eating and regular moderate-intensity exercise. They will be supported by wellness experts (over a year) as they jumpstart their quest for a healthy lifestyle.

Who sponsors Activate South Carolina?
The YMCA of Greenville expresses its appreciation for its sponors; Furman Univeristy and Greenville Hospital System, without which this program would not be possible.  The South Carolina Hospital Association is a statewide sponsor and supporter of Activate South Carolina. Each participating city has additional sponsors. Please check each city for their local sponsor information.

Who is eligible to participate in Activate South Carolina?
All residents of South Carolina are eligible as well as residents in Gaston County North Carolina, Cleveland County North Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia. There is no cost to participate in Activate South Carolina.

How do I know if my local YMCA is participating?
Look at the state map on the home page. Click on the city you live closest to.

When and how do I register? 
Registration is easy. The statewide Kickoff is on Monday, January 14, 2008. Check with your local YMCA for sites and times or click on your city from the home page and click on Kickoff Rally.  

What if I missed the Kickoff Event?
It’s not too late to register. Participants can register all year long. Online registration starts January 15, 2008.

What is my username and password?
Your username is automatically generated and sent to your email address when you register. It is the first letter of your first name plus your last name plus the last four digits of your phone number.  Your password is the last four digits of your social security number or the four digit number your provided at the time of registration. You may login on your city home page. Return to the Home Page and click on your city. Login on the left hand side of the page.

Where do I go to Weigh-in?
A list of availabe weigh-in sites can be viewed by returning to the Home page and clicking on your city and then by clicking on Weigh-In Sites.

What happens if I miss a weigh-in?
You can continue to participate but you will not have your weight logged for the weigh-in you missed.

How do I track my progress?
To view your progress return to the Home page and click on your participating city and then login on the left hand side. Click on “My Page". Click on your Weight Loss Graph or your Physical Activity Graph to see how you have progressed. You must be logged in to view your progress.

How do I enter my activity minutes?
Return to the Home page and click on your participating city. Login with the username and password that was created for you when you registered. Click on My Page.  Click on Track My Physical Activity. To enter Physical Activity chose an activity by clicking on the drop down box for Activity 1. Click on the activity you performed. Then enter the number of minutes you performed that activity in the number of minutes box provided. Repeat for Activity 2 and 3 if needed. Click Save. You must click Save for your information to be added to your calendar. To enter or change an activity for a previous date, click on the desired underlined date and follow the instructions above.

What information is on “My Page”?
You can track your physical activity, calculate your BMI, view your Weight Loss Graph, view your Physical Activity Graph, change your password, access the Healthy Living Guide, and find out dates, time, and locations of Health Talks and weigh-ins.

Should I consult a doctor before beginning this exercise program?
We recommend that you consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. We have provided a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire in the Healthy Living Guide to help you assess your readiness to participate in physical activity. 

What activities are eligible for the physical activity goal?
Choose moderate intensity physical activities such as the following: 

Aerobics Classes Bicycling Calisthenics (no weight) Dancing Elliptical Trainer Golf, Carrying Clubs Hiking Jumping Rope Lacrosse Martial Arts Other Ball Games Racquetball                                      Jogging

Rock Climbing Rowing Running Skating Skiing Soccer Stair Climbing Swimming Tennis Volleyball Walking Briskly Weight Training

What is moderate-intensity physical activity?
When participating in moderate intensity physical activity, your heart rate and breathing are elevated above resting values. You should always be able to talk but not easily sing while performing moderate intensity activity. If you cannot talk, you may be exercising too intensely. If you can easily sing, the exercise may be too easy. Brisk walking or an equivalent activity, would qualify as moderate intensity physical activity for many individuals.

Do I have to perform the 30 minutes of activity at one time?
The Activate program is designed to help you incorporate regular physical activity into your everyday life. You are more likely to adhere to an active lifestyle if you set aside time to be active on most days of the week. However, if you are short on time, you can accumulate the 30 minutes of activity in bouts of at least 10 minutes throughout the day.

Can I accumulate all of my activity minutes in one day?
No. In order to meet the goal, you must participate in at least 30 minutes of activity 5 or more days per week. It is important to be physically active on most days of the week.

Can I participate in the Group/Company Challenge?
Any group of three or more people can register for the Group/Company Challenge. As an employee or a member of a participating group, you must still register yourself in Activate Greenville. On the registration screen look for your group in the drop-down menu under “Group/Company”.

What if I forgot to designate my Group Name when I registered?
Click on your participating city.  Click on "contact us" and select join a group. Please designate your username, first name, last name, and the group you wish to join.

How do I register a group?
Return to the Home page and click on your participating city. Click on "contact us", select Group/Company Challenge and provide the following information. Group Name, Contact Name, email address, street address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. Please allow 48 business hours for your group to become registered.

How do I join a team?
Two or more people can form a team. Tell your family, friends, and/or co-workers about the Activate program. Explain your desire to be more physically active and ask them to participate with you. Designate a team leader and follow the instructions below to create a team. If your team has already been created then simply give your username to your team leader. You don’t have to be part of an official Group/Company in order to participate together. 

How do I create my team?
Return to the Home page and click on your participating city. Login on the left hand side of the page. Click on My Page. To Create a Team from the My Page menu click on Create/Manage Team.  Click on Create a Team. Enter your Team name and click on submit.  Once you have created your team you can add members at any time by using the Manage Your Team (for team creators) link. As the creator of your team you can add and delete members of your team. To add or remove a member to your team click on Manage Your Team (for team creators). A list of members on your team will be displayed. To add a member, enter the username of the member you wish to add and click on Add. To remove a member of your team click on Delete beside the member you wish to remove. To Join a Team already created you will need to supply your login name to your team creator. * Please note that you can only be on one team.

What if I am part of a Group/Company but also want to be on a team? You can be part of the Group/Company Challenge and be on a team. However, you can only be on one team.  Tell your Group/Company that you can create smaller teams within your group to create lots of fun and team camaraderie. It’s easy.