Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
On Friday, Sept. 30, the communities of Madison and Jefferson Counties are invited to the Jefferson County Football Field to kickoff the Madison vs Jefferson virtual walk.
The goal of the event is to promote healthy lifestyles within both communities. Health departments in both Madison County and Jefferson County have health plans that are backed and supported by community stakeholders and feature priories on helping citizens within the two counties live healthier lifestyles through exercise, diet choices and other objectives.
The walk, which aims to take the participants on a virtual walk to Santa Monica, Ca. through 4,640,000 steps, offers a way to get active and have fun all at once.
It is completely free to register for the walk.
Teams with a combined walking 'score' can be created for no cost between family members, businesses, civic groups, churches or friends, as long as the group has between five to 10 people who plan to start walking after Sept. 30.
The kickoff event will start at 6 p.m. with a 5K walk that starts off everyone's walking score; those with fitbits may use their device to calculate their steps. Pedometers will be passed out, free of charge, to anyone who needs one at registration. The event will also feature a health fair, with guest vendors from local health organizations and groups, as well as demonstrations, including a demonstration of the hands-only CPR technique. The 5K is optional and will start at approximately 6:30 p.m.
“The goal is to help both Jefferson and Madison Counties achieve health priorities that their Health Departments have set,” said Madison and Jefferson County's Interim Health Officer Jennifer Johnson.
Those interested in learning more about the walk can contact either the Madison County representative, Chelsae McCoy at (850) 973-5006 ext. 1331, or the Jefferson County representative, Pam Beck at (850) 342-0170 ext. 2061.
How to walk 10,000 steps a day
For those that hold office jobs or simply cannot see themselves achieving enough steps to participate in the Madison County vs. Jefferson County walk-off competition, the Madison and Jefferson Health Departments have provided a list of a few easy, but successful tips to get people up and moving and walking about. The goal is to have as many people as possible participating in the walk off, which starts on Friday, Sept. 30 and is kicked off at the Jefferson County Football Field. Both health departments hope to see their communities becoming healthier as people continue to get up, stay active and make healthier life choices.
So, how many steps can you walk a day? By following some of the health department's suggestions, you may very well be able to find that you are walking more, and using your spare time to stay active, even without going out of your way to do so.
Track your steps: Use a device like a Fitbit, Nike Fuel Band, or Jawbone to track your steps, or download an app like MapMyRun that will track distance. Five miles is roughly the equivalent of 10k steps a day.
Park further away: Instead of fighting for the front parking spot, go ahead and park in the back of the lot. You’ll rack up more steps walking from your car to the door.
Walk and talk: Whether you’re taking a conference call, or catching up with your mom on the phone, don’t just sit on the couch! Walk up and down the hallway to add more steps to your day.
Set a reminder: Set an alarm on your phone or computer to remind you to get up and move during the day.
Split your lunch hour: Find a buddy and take a stroll after you eat to shake off that post-lunch slump.
Branch out: Instead of meeting a friend for coffee, take a walk on a greenway or go to the park. You’ll be able to catch up and do something good for your health at the same time.
TV timeout: Take a station break and get up during TV commercials to move around. Whether it’s to throw another load of laundry in, or to run out and check the mail, every step counts.
Take the scenic route: Make a detour and take the long way to get to where you’re going. Walk an extra lap around the building, skip the short cut, or take the stairs.
One-by-one: When unloading groceries, unload them from the car one at a time. Make multiple journeys to and from the car to get your briefcase, your gym bag, and your shopping bags.
Squeeze in some family time: After dinner, take a walk around the neighborhood to keep the good times rolling.
The friendly competition between Madison and Jefferson Counties is sure to be a fun, free, and entertaining virtual walk, and those interested in getting involved by walking or forming a team may do so by contacting either the Madison County representative, Chelsae McCoy at (850) 973-5006 ext. 1331, or the Jefferson County representative, Pam Beck at (850) 342-0170 ext. 2061.