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10 000 Steps in the right direction
Hunter New England Health is encouraging participants to register for the largest community lifestyle program ever offered to the Upper Hunter and Singleton communities.
The 10 000 Steps Community Challenge will commence in March, and has been developed to assist organisations and individuals across the Upper Hunter and Singleton regions to increase their physical activity levels.
A number of organisations, including Centacare, the Heart Foundation, Liverpool Plains Shire Council, The Cancer Council, TAFE and Hunter New England Health have worked in partnership to organise the challenge.
Community Dietitian for Upper Hunter Community Health Brodie Preston said the goal of the eight-week challenge was for individuals to develop and work towards a personal fitness goal, while aiming for an improved health and fitness lifestyle for the whole community.
“Throughout the challenge, participants will gain a better understanding of the theory and practice behind maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Ms Preston said.
Participants will wear pedometers for the duration of the program and accumulate steps over the period of two months.
Individuals will set personal targets based on their own fitness levels.
“The aim of the program is to help people to get motivated to increase their current activity levels,” Ms Preston said.
“You don’t have to be super-fit to take part. This program is for people of all fitness levels.
“I am hoping we will have a fantastic success rate from the 2008 group. I am confident that, together, we can blitz our individual targets and achieve a great result for the whole community,” she said.
Participants will also be invited to take part in weekly, interactive information sessions, including healthy cooking classes, supermarket tours, exercise classes, and will receive advice about understanding food labels, stress and self esteem.
Prizes will also be on offer for participating groups and individuals.
The event will be launched across multiple sites during the week commencing Monday 17 March, at which point registered participants will have the opportunity to have any questions answered.
Registration forms for the 10 000 Steps Community Challenge must be submitted by Friday 29 February 2008. For further information about the challenge, obtain a 10 000 Steps brochure from any Hunter New England Community Health Centre across the Upper Hunter, including Werris Creek, Singleton, Denman, Muswellbrook, Merriwa, Scone, Murrurundi and Quirindi or call Brodie Preston on (02) 6542 2723.
The 10 000 Steps Community Challenge will take place from Monday 31 March until Sunday 25 May 2008.
Contact: Nicole Fuller
Phone: (02) 4921 4477
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