By JOE ASHER

joe.asher@middlesboronews.com

 

Looking for a way to help improve your physical fitness level this fall? The Bell County Extension Office is sponsoring the Get Moving Kentucky Fall Physical Activity Program to help residents get in some physical fitness time.

Rebecca Miller, Bell County FCS Agent through the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, shed some light on the program.

“We are conducting a fall walking program that will last for eight weeks,” Miller said.  “It will kick off Oct. 4 and run through Nov. 28.  People can call our office to get a registration form.”

According to Miller, once registered participants will receive a log sheet to be completed during the program.

“They can do any kind of physical activity,” Miller said.  “It can be walking, running, cleaning your house, or just doing some yard work.  Anything to get people up and moving in our county.”

According to a press release, physical activity can have a positive impact on a person’s health.

“Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers,” states the release. “It can also reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety and generally improve your mood.”

This is not the first time this program has taken place.

“We’ve done it before, but it’s been a while,” Miller said.  “It’s probably been a couple of years since we did it last.”

Miller explained there appears to be an interest in the program at this time.

“Right now, there’s quite a bit of interest,” Miller said.  “I’ve had several emails, several Facebook comments and things like that from people wanting to register.”

Participants will be asked to sustain activity for a certain amount of time in order to log the activity.

“We want people to do at least 15 minutes,” Miller said.  “Any aerobic activity that they sustain for 15 minutes will count as a physical activity mile for them to log on their sheet.”

The purpose behind the program is simply to help people improve their physical and mental health.

“There are a lot of people that aren’t aware of all the health benefits of physical activity,” Miller said.  “We have a lot of people in our state with diabetes, heart disease, people who are obese.  We’re just trying to reduce those risks from those things and get people to be healthier.”

There is no age limit and the program is open to anyone who wants to participate, Miller added.

For more information or to participate in Get Moving Kentucky, call the Bell County Extension Office at 606-337-2376.