Physical Activity Challenge: Article 1

With the county-wide activity challenge starting up, you may be wondering: How can I get moving in our small community? Living in a rural community poses many challenges for staying active due to the lack of resources that are available in comparison to larger communities. Let’s not allow that to be an excuse to stop moving. With a little creativity and curiosity, there are many opportunities to stay active.

1. Stay active in your own home: Walk, dance, yoga, chair exercises, stretching, and even cleaning! Anything that gets you up and moving! Sometimes we are active without even realizing it.

2. The little things: Park at the end of the parking lot, take the stairs, or walk while on the phone. Pay attention to the little things that can get you moving.

3. Roller skate: Roller skating is physical activity! Mad Moves Roller Rink is a great option to get moving. Did you know that there is a fitness center with exercise equipment too? Multi weight sets, free weights, kettlebells, treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes.

4. Get outside: Gardening, biking, and walking. Sports and lawn games are also a fun way to get active – for instance, a game of corn hole, spike ball, or ladder ball. Mowing the lawn is another great way to get active.

5. Swim: The Kidder County Swimming Pool is open or go to the lake! Swimming is a great way to have fun and be active.

6. Golf: The Cottonwood golf course is open! Walking and the golf swing itself gets you moving.

7. Walk: Walking is a simple and easy way to get active! Walking can take on various roles – walk with your family or a friend. Change the scenery – walk in a different area of the neighborhood or walk on the edge of town to see the beautiful countryside. Keep it simple or not – walk around the block or walk several blocks! And don’t forget about the track – this is a great way to get some walking in!

Who knew we could find this much to do in our small community? Start by picking one or two activities per week and see what you can accomplish! For most healthy adults, the Department of Health recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. For some, this is a lot. Even brief bouts of activity offer benefits to your health. If you can’t do a full 30 minutes of activity, split it up into 5-10 minute increments with small breaks to equal 30 minutes. Any activity is better than none. What is most important is cutting down on sitting time and making regular physical activity a part of your daily life!

Don’t forget! Kidder County District Health Unit is promoting a county-wide physical activity challenge for all ages running from July 1st through August 31st. Anyone who charts at least 30 days of at least 30 minutes of physical activity during this timeframe is eligible for a prize! Individuals can pick up calendars to chart activity for the months of July and August at KCDHU, Mad Moves, Kidder County Swimming Pool, Kidder County Library, any Senior Center in Kidder County, or the Steele Pharmacy. Turn in your calendars no later than September 3rd to be entered for prize drawings!

Questions? We would love to hear from you! Call Kidder County District Health Unit at 701-475-2582.