Boca Raton attorney and incoming chairman of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County Board of Trustees, John T. Mulhall III, recently took top honors in the second annual “American on the Move” Challenge by taking more than 200,000 steps in eight days.

The nationwide campaign, staged in partnership with the America On the Move ® Foundation, was aimed at educating and motivating people to take an additional 2,000 steps and eat 100 fewer calories every day with the ultimate goal of enjoying long-term health benefits.

As a founding partner of Rutherford Mulhall, PA, Mulhall works out regularly at the YMCA in Boca Raton to burn off calories and build muscle.  He was one of 1.3 million America On the Move participants nationwide who logged 8 billion steps at more than 1,500 community YMCAs.  More than 70 participants at YMCA branches in Boca Raton and Boynton took nearly 7 million steps during the challenge. Mulhall took 213,092 steps.

“Taking on this challenge was both a thrill and an honor for me and my family,” said Mulhall, whose wife and three children participate in a variety of sports and program activities at the Y.  “I enjoy being part of an organization that is taking such an active role in helping people of all ages enjoy healthier lifestyles.”
The America On the Move Week is part of Activate America®, the YMCA’s response to the nation’s lifestyle health crisis.  Through Activate America, YMCAs across the country are providing support and opportunities for Americans of all ages who are struggling to achieve and maintain well-being of spirit, mind and body.

A recent national poll by the America On the Move Foundation indicates that even though obesity is on the rise, efforts by Americans to lose weight might be stalling.  The lack of a positive support network may be a factor for many.  Only 40 percent of those polled said their immediate family members encourage them to eat healthy and nutritious foods, and only 16 percent said their close friends encourage these same choices.

“America On the Move and the Activate America program puts the YMCA squarely in the driver’s seat for bringing healthy lifestyle changes to our local community,” said Dick Pollock, CEO of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County. “I salute all of our members who took the step challenge and took a positive step for their health and wellness.”