Walk Kansas is Coming….Grab Your Walking Shoes and Let’s Go!
April 3 through May 28th
Do you want to feel better and have more energy? Maybe you need to blow off some steam after a stressful day or need to get better sleep? Regular exercise, along with healthy food choices, can help you do this. Join us for Walk Kansas 2016 and enjoy fitness, food and fun!
What is Walk Kansas and how does it work? Walk Kansas is a team-based program that can lead to a healthier life by being more active, making better food choices, and learning positive ways to deal with stress. Co-workers, families, friends and neighbors form teams of six people. From April 3 through May 28th (8 weeks), participants log minutes of physical activity and cups of fruits/vegetables consumed each day. They report their numbers each week to their team captain. Captains report their team’s progress weekly to the Butler County Extension Office.
Choose the Challenge for Your Team: Each team chooses ONE of the following:
Challenge 1: Each participant sets an activity goal for 150 minutes per week. If each
team member reaches this goal for 8 weeks, the team would “walk” 423 miles. That’s the distance across the state of Kansas.
Challenge 2: Each participant logs 4 hours of moderate/vigorous activity per week.
Collectively, the team “walks” a winding diagonal trail ~760 miles from Troy to Elkhart.
Challenge 3: Each participant logs 6 hours of moderate/vigorous activity per week.
Collectively, the team would “walk” 1200 miles, which is the distance around the
perimeter of the state of Kansas.
Is walking the only activity that counts? Physical activity that is performed at
a moderate or vigorous level (for at least 10 consecutive minutes) can count, including:
swimming, jogging, bike riding, aerobic exercise, tennis, and more.
Walk Strong…. Progressive strength training also counts, as these exercises can prevent muscle loss, increase bone density, and improve balance and coordination. You can count a variety of aerobic and strength activities for your physical activity. The Walk Kansas web site will feature videos and links to resources to support walking tall and strong.
Weekly logging and reporting keeps you accountable to yourself and to your team. You can log on paper and report through email/phone. We are also working on a direct online option to report activity/fruits and veggies eaten. Regardless of the reporting method that you choose, you can follow your team’s progress and compare to other teams on www.walkkansas.org. Many who participate report weight loss, eat more fruits and vegetables, manage stress, and have more energy. And everyone who participates receives the best prize: developing healthy habits that can last a lifetime!
Call or come by the Butler County Extension Office. Ask for the Captain’s Packet and get your team signed up! Walk Kansas Registration Deadline is 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.
Program cost is $8.00 per participant. T-Shirts (optional) are available for an additional fee. This year’s t-shirt colors: purple, lime green and sand!
For more information, contact Barbara Roths, Family Consumer Science Agent 316.321.9660 or broth@ksu.edu
