Energy at 25

HEALTHY HABITS HERO: Annie Scruggs, Age 25, Honolulu, Hawaii

The Annie Scruggs approach to life takes only two words to describe: “Game on!” During her senior year at the University of Hawaii, she signed up to run the Honolulu Marathon one day before the race because her boyfriend at the time told her he didn’t think she could do it. “I figured if I could get to the end without having to call someone to pick me up, that was a success.” Five and a half hours later, she crossed the finish line.

Since then, Scruggs has received a master’s in public administration and scored a job with a computer company—and learned to train for marathons before running them. She also bikes to work almost daily, surfs, hikes, and takes advantage of Groupon deals for anything from Zumba to hot yoga classes. “I’m thankful being active was instilled in me early. It’s something I’m going to have for the rest of my life,” she says.

ANNIE'S ADVICE: 

• Think of exercise as a gift: "When I was a cheerleader, I felt pressure to be in the best shape. Now, anything I do is just for me—my health and my body. Exercise is my escape, my ‘me time.’ I can’t think of anything that makes me feel better.”
• Plan ahead: “Things tend to fall through when they’re not planned. I know my work schedule a week ahead, so I block out my activities. This week, I don’t start work until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, so I’ll hike that morning.”
• Embrace adventure: “You never know what you’re going to enjoy. I started surfing because I love being in the water. Now, every time I go, I want to go more. I’m the same way with cooking—I’m not the best cook, but I’m learning.”