#sit less

Spring is a great time of the year to get outside and enjoy the lovely weather. It's also a good time of the year to form some healthy habits before the holiday season approaches. To help you form some healthy habits we are holding the Spring into Action Challenge. This is a 10,000 step pedometer challenge that runs for six weeks, from October 17- November 27. Get together with friends, family and co workers and register as a group of four. Or you can register as an individual and be assigned to a team.

Throughout the six weeks you will compete with other teams and the team who complete the most steps and complete their surveys will win $200. We encourage people to aim for around 10,000 steps a day, this is approximately 7.6km. However, if 10,000 steps seems too hard, start with a smaller goal like 6,000 steps and work your way up to 10,000. Step counting is a great way to motivate yourself to be more active everyday. You can count your steps with your own device such as a smart phone, fitbit or pedometer. If you don't own one of these you can loan a pedometer from Health Promotion.

Why should I move more?

Research shows that sedentary lifestyles and sitting too much increase the risk of developing a number of health conditions in both children and adults. To reduce your risk of health issues in the short and long term, be aware of how long you spend sitting and be more active throughout your day.

Think about how often you sit throughout your day. How can you break this up to be more active and take more steps? Maybe you could walk to work or the shops, or go for a walk in your break at work. Evidence also suggests that even if you meet the physical activity guidelines, sitting too much during the rest of your day can still have an impact your health. Research shows that adults who sit less throughout their day have lower risk of early death, particularly from heart disease. Sedentary behaviour is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. For more information about sitting less and moving more visit the Heart Foundation website.

How to register

For more information about how to register call Health Promotion on 50339337 or visit us at 60 McCrae Street Swan Hill.