The weather prediction for Sunday, the 28th, (the first day of Walk Kansas) sounds perfect. With spring like temperatures in the forecast, it is time to dust off your walking shoes and start logging your minutes. We have promoted and encouraged participation in this fitness challenge the past 20 years. Though the process to register a team has transitioned to an on-line format, the goals of the Walk KS remains the same:
· be more active with friends and family
· make better nutrition choices
· walk away your stress
The average sedentary time for Americans is a whopping 9 to 10 hours per day. A primary goal for Walk Kansas and beyond should be to move more than you sit. Those 30 minutes or more of moderate activity are essential for good health and so are the small, regular movements you do the rest of the day. All of your minutes exercising adds up.
While it is fun to pull a team of six friends, family members, or co-workers together to exercise regularly, there is always the option to participate in Walk KS as an individual. The $10 registration fee will connect you with an information packed weekly newsletter. A portion of the registration fee is sent to K-State Research & Extension for administration of the program. One other perk of registering is that you can participate in the Walk Kansas Pep Rally I have planned for Wednesday, April 14th, at noon, at the Band shell in Jack Kilby Square. I will have box lunches available at no charge for those who have called in a reservation by Friday April 9th and are registered in the Walk KS program. If you are not a registered participant, you may order a box meal for $7.50, payable by April 9th.
The pep rally will provide an opportunity for me to share some nutrition and exercise tips and provide you with an opportunity to enjoy an outdoor lunch with friends and a walk around the square. There will be a drawing for door prizes as well.
Our Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office, will allow registering for Walk KS to continue through March 31st. If you have trouble registering on-line, give Brenda or me a call!
Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research & Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu K-State Research & Extension is an equal opportunity employer and provider.