USU Students, Employees Sought for Physical Activity Challenge

If you're adding "getting in better shape" to your list of New Year’s resolutions, grab five classmates, roomies or co-workers and join the USU Student Wellness Center’s 2006 Physical Activity Challenge. Here’s your chance to get fit, while enjoying friendly competition.

 

All USU students and employees are invited to join in the fitness challenge, which is part of the statewide 'A Healthier You’ Legacy Awards program, funded by the Utah Department of Health, Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and community partners. Initiated in conjunction with the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the program recognizes efforts by college campuses, communities, public schools and the private sector in increasing opportunities for health-enhancing activities.

 

“We achieved the ‘Healthy Campus’ bronze level last year, and we’ve got our eye on advancing to the silver level in 2006,” says Jamie McKinlay, SWC program coordinator. “We want to get as many Aggies involved as we can.”

 

According to the A Healthier You Web site, more than half of all Utah adults are overweight or obese. Almost 50 percent of Utah adults get insufficient physical activity and about 17 percent participate in no leisure activity at all.

 

“We can do better,” says McKinlay. “After all, we live in the heart of an outdoor activity mecca.”

 

The competition begins Monday, Jan. 16, and will conclude with an awards ceremony in mid-April (exact date to be announced). Each team should track each member’s hours of physical activity. Eligible physical activity includes walking, jogging, running, cycling, skiing, skating, blading, weight lifting and participation in competitive sports.

 

“Just about any physical activity counts,” says McKinlay. “The important thing is to get moving.”

 

Prizes will be awarded to the teams achieving the most hours of physical activity.

 

“It doesn’t matter what your current ability level is,” says McKinlay. “This is more about improving your fitness level than completing a marathon or setting a world record. It’s supposed to be fun.”

 

Each participating team should have six members. To register, send your team member names, contact information, team name and team captain’s name, along with the department, campus unit, academic major or other campus group your team represents, to McKinlay at jjmckinlay@cc.usu.edu or 797-1010 by Friday, Jan. 13.