Hunt County Walk Across Texas

Most everyone associates February with hearts because of the day devoted to the patron saint of love, St. Valentine, but more importantly (and especially to those of us in a health related field), February is heart month because it is the month dedicated to heart health and awareness. I know we are still in January, but February 1st marks the beginning of the Hunt County Walk Across Texas Challenge (session one, session two will be held in October, but I’ll get to that later in the year). Walk Across Texas is a free 8-week program designed to help establish a regular habit of physical activity. Teams of 8 join together to walk the 834 miles across Texas, from Orange to El Paso. Each person on a team of 8 is tasked with walking approximately 1.5 miles per day. That seems like a lot to many people, but really it’s only about 3000 steps and most people can go that distance in less than 30 minutes or achieve it throughout their daily activities. In many cases, just becoming aware of how much (or how little) you move throughout the day is the first step to a healthier lifestyle. The Walk Across Texas program is a great way to jump start your exercise routine while spending time with friends and families.

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of physical activity (moderate exercise) each week, just over 20 minutes each day. Many become discouraged with exercise before they even begin because they focus on the idea of 150 minutes of exercise each week, which can seem overwhelming. Keep in mind, everyone has to start somewhere and any activity is better than no activity! 
 
Interested in creating a team and/or joining the Hunt County Walk Across Texas Challenge? Team captain packets are available at the Hunt County Extension office or you may register online at http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu.

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County Extension office, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu.