Walk Kansas Starts March 19th and runs until May 13th this year! We have lots a great prizes like a Fitbit and activities to get your moving. We will be sending out our local weekly events and rules for the prizes here soon, so be looking for them!
How Walk Kansas Works:
Teams of 6, with a captain, log minutes of activity for 8 weeks. Each team selects one of three challenges they will collectively work towards. In order to accomplish the challenge, each person will have a personal goal. In addition to physical activity, participants will report the amount of fruits/vegetables they eat. Program participants will receive weekly newsletters and motivational messages that focus on healthful lifestyle habits. Some local Walk Kansas programs offer classes, group activities, kick-off and celebration events, and more. Go to www.walkkansas.org to find your local Extension Office and learn about Walk Kansas in your community.
Physical Activity Guidelines:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate and/or vigorous intensity activity/week. Moderate intensity activity is a level where you can barely talk, but not sing. Moderate is about 100 steps per minute. If you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath, you are working at vigorous intensity. A combination of moderate and vigorous activity is good. Muscle strengthening activities are recommended at least 2 days per week. By working all major muscle groups, you can prevent muscle loss, increase strength and increase bone density.
Team Challenges:
Each team will select one of these challenges. As your team moves across or around the state, you will learn about points of interest in Kansas by viewing progress of your team on the online map.
- Challenge 1) Each person reaches the minimum goal for physical activity – 2½ hours of moderate/vigorous activity per week. Collectively, the team would walk 423 miles – the distance across the state.
- Challenge 2) Take a meandering trek diagonally across the state from Troy to Elkhart. Each person logs 4 hours of activity per week which would take the team 750 miles.
- Challenge 3) Walk the perimeter of Kansas – 1200 miles — with each person logging 6 hours of moderate/ vigorous activity per week.