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Jim Norland had been doing the same workout routine since college. He went to the doctor for his 30- and 40-year milestone checkups. And he is not interested in cutting calories.

But with every new year (and his birthday), he sets goals for his physical activity, and he conducts his own annual test to check his fitness level.

“Every year I make sure that I can still touch the (basketball) rim, that I can still bench-press 350 pounds and still run a mile in seven minutes or less – gray hairs notwithstanding,” said Norland, a Fittest Execs-Most Improved participant and group benefits specialist for Employee Benefit Consultants Inc.

For 2008, Norland added the Fittest Execs competition to his personal test to help him achieve this year’s aspirations. Norland’s goals include increasing his core strength and flexibility, and losing 10 pounds.

“I have sore muscles in places that I have not been sore for a long time,” he said.

Fittest Execs, which is co-sponsored by The Iowa Clinic and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines, has two parts: a competition in May for participants who already live healthy and active lifestyles to see who is the fittest and a competition for most improved.

“The whole point of the program is to show how busy executives can fit health and wellness into their schedules,” said Kim Stewart, executive director of the Waukee Family YMCA. “It sends a strong message when the executive believes that health and wellness are priorities. Hopefully, it will have a ripple effect and other employees will get involved in healthy lifestyle choices.”

The most improved category includes a pre-test in February and a post-test in May. Laboratory tests for total cholesterol and blood pressure, a body composition test, a three-minute cardiovascular step-test, strength tests including sit-ups and push-ups, and a sit-and-reach flexibility test are all part of the most improved contest.

“This competition is to see who can make the most strides toward a healthy lifestyle,” Stewart said. “We look for those with improvements in all areas, not just one, for overall health and wellness.”

After taking the most improved pre-test, Norland recruited Cathy Nelson, a health and fitness program director at the Waukee Family YMCA, to help him change his exercise routine, add on workout time during the week and burn more calories without changing his diet.

“I help him focus on different areas and help with his weaknesses,” said Nelson, who designed Norland’s fitness regimen and occasionally coaches him during workouts.

One change for Norland has been keeping his heart rate up while lifting weights.

So far, Norland has lost four pounds, noticed a significant improvement in his core strength and some improvement in flexibility.

His back does not ache when he gets up off the couch after watching a basketball game, he said, and it is a little easier to tie his shoes (and yes, he could see his toes before the competition).

“It overall brings awareness of the importance of health in the fast-paced and busy business world,” Nelson said. “When business leaders take the lead, it is the best way to demonstrate and get employees involved as well.”

This year, more Des Moines executives joined Norland in attempting to make a change in their lifestyles.

“We have seen a large increase in the number of those involved,” Stewart said.

In 2007, 17 Greater Des Moines business professionals participated in the most improved pre-test. This year, the number of pre-test participants rose to 137.

Though 55 percent of the participants in the Fittest Execs-Most Improved contest are YMCA members, Stewart is not sure of the progress and follow-through of the pre-test participants.

Twenty-seven people participated in the fittest competition last May, and Stewart is hoping those numbers will also increase this year.

Despite the greater number of participants, Norland, who enjoys and is motivated by competition, said that he wishes more people would join him in the Fittest Execs challenge.

“I definitely think 1,000 people could do it,” Norland said. “It is free, relatively easy and painless – the blood test is just a prick on the finger.”

The YMCA sends out biweekly e-mails to support and encourage participants to focus on the testing areas, such as content specifying what they can do to improve cardiovascular health.

With time winding down, Nelson encourages contestants to contact the wellness coaches and take advantage of the program.

“(Fittest Execs) is an excellent way to get business leaders to think and be aware of possible health risks and change,” Nelson said.

Correction: In the original article sidebar “Fittest Exec’s Most Improved,” 2007 and 2008 were transposed.