Physical Activity Challenge: Article 3

The key to becoming more active is finding a way to incorporate activity into your daily life. It can be difficult for individuals that aren’t as active as they would like to be, but would like to introduce physical activity into their daily life. For those that want to increase their activity level or those that are inactive that want to become more active, good for you! Here are some guidelines to follow.

When introducing physical activity into your life, a gradual increase in weekly amounts of physical activity is important. Those who do not yet do the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week can gradually work toward this goal over weeks to months. Start with light activity for short periods of time with those activities spread throughout the week. For example, an inactive person could start by walking 5 minutes several times each day for 5-6 days per week. The length of time walking could then be gradually increased with each session. This may sound daunting to some. Make it fun! Choose an activity you enjoy so you can get excited about being active and have fun while doing it.

For some, the recommended 150 minutes of activity per week is a lot. Even brief bouts of activity are beneficial to your health. Just think, sit less, move more! People gain health benefits even when they replace sitting time with light activity. If you can’t do a full 30 minutes of moderate activity, split it up into 5-10 minute increments of light activity with small breaks. Examples of light activities include stretching, walking, chair workouts, swimming, gardening, cleaning, or dancing. Any type of activity is better than none. What is most important is cutting down on sitting time and making physical activity a part of your daily life.

If you are over 65 and want to kick start your activity, stop by our office for a free starter kit. These kits include a wellness journal, stretch bands, chair exercise guide, water bottle, and much more!

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! Prizes are split up by age groups. Prizes include:

Youth-12 years: each get a prize and 3 bigger prize drawings

Kids 13-18 years: $100 Scheels gift card

Adults 19-64 years: $100 cash

Adults 65+ : $100 cash

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.