PHD looking for 'Moving Minutes'
|
|
March 6, 2013 |
Washing floors and bathtubs, raking gardens and
walking the dog can win residents of northern
Idaho prizes throughout the month of April if
they do those activities enough.
In recognition of National Public Health Week
April 1-7, Panhandle Health District (PHD) is
launching the first Moving Minutes Challenge.
PHD is challenging people of all ages and
abilities in the five northern counties to keep
track of how many minutes they’re physically
active during the entire month of April.
Participants will turn in their weekly totals to
PHD each Monday. People active for at least 150
minutes—the nationally-recommended amount for
adults—per week will participate in drawings for
prizes donated by community businesses and
organizations. On April 30, PHD will award a
trophy to the most physically active person or
team in northern Idaho.
“Our goal is to create an awareness of the many
different physical activities that can be
incorporated into our lives that can increase
fitness levels and start to chip away at the
increasing rates of obesity that we are seeing
in the United States,” said Lora Whalen,
Panhandle Health District director. “As we head
into summer in North Idaho, let’s foster a good
habit of exercise/physical activity in our daily
routines.”
The Moving Minutes Challenge is free to all
participants. People may register throughout
March as a single or join together on a team.
Challenges among individuals or businesses or
groups are encouraged.
Time tracking will be on the honor system. The
trophy will go to the person or team with the
highest daily average of activity minutes for
the month. PHD will help people accrue activity
minutes by steering them to activities
throughout the five northern counties.
On its website,
http://www.phd1.idaho.gov/preventative/movingminutes.cfm,
and on its Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/MovingMinutesChallenge, PHD
will provide online registration for the event
and printable time tracking sheets. Participants
will report their weekly totals online or by
phone, (208) 415-5153.
PHD will post prize winners and challenges on
its website and Facebook page. Both sites will
feature progress reports of participants,
photos, charts of calories burned per activity,
encouragements, a calendar of public activities
available, healthy living information and much
more.
For inspiration, PHD will kick off the Challenge
April 1 with the first of four free noon hour
showings of “The Weight of the Nation” at the
PHD Hayden building, 8500 N. Atlas Rd. The
four-part series features case studies,
interviews with experts, and individuals and
families struggling with obesity.
Brown-bag lunches are recommended for the
showing. PHD will serve Triple Berry Smoothies
and popcorn free to viewers. “The Weight of the
Nation” will run Monday through Thursday, April
1-4, at noon.
Registration, time tracking sheets, challenges
and event details are available at the Moving
Minutes Challenge page on the PHD website-
http://www.phd1.idaho.gov/preventative/movingminutes.cfm.
Register by April 1 to be eligible for the first
weekly prize drawing on Monday, April 8. Send
questions to
movingminutes@phd1.idaho.gov or call (208)
415-5153. |
|
Questions or comments about this
letter?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
