Hmmm... according to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune's Wednesday, August 19, 2009 issue, a new anti-obesity program from Intermountain Healthcare will reward people who park farther away from certain stores and other buildings. "Prize patrols" will be checking on more than two dozen parking lots around Utah, looking for those who park their cars in designated stalls farther away from their destinations. The lucky ones could win iPods, iTunes cards, gift certificates and more.
These "designated stalls" have the following words spray-painted on them- "Park here to walk farther and be healthier. Live." The article states that Utah obesity rates top 23% for children and 22% for adults. The whole premise behind this campaign is to get people walking more and taking steps (no pun intended) to living a healthier lifestyle. Some locations for the parking stalls include: Steiner Aquatic Center, Logan Regional Hospital, the Days Market in Heber City, the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City, and approximately six Smith's Food and Drug stores from Farmington to Draper.
This is part of Intermountain Healthcare's continuing public-service pitch, known as LiVe, which advocates healthy eating and active lifestyles. Does anyone remember the weird billboard ads of zombie-like kids playing video games? Yeah, this is that same group. I think their minds are in the right place, trying to get people to walk more in a day- but I don't think I'm going to go try and park as far away as possible from stores in these random places, hoping that the "prize patrol" just happens to stop by when I'm there that day. The odds of not winning anything are just overwhelming.
My work is currently doing a walking competition to get people to walk more and be more active while at work (since we all sit in front of a computer all day, which doesn't necessarily condone a healthy lifestyle). It honestly has helped me see just how many steps I don't take during the day (you are supposed to take about 10,000 steps in a day, which is approximately 5 miles). I have to exercise, or do something active outside of work, and go for a short walk during my breaks or at lunch, in order to get even remotely close to 10,000 steps. What do you do to try to get your 10,000 steps in everyday?
2 comments:
i get off at the first bus stop about mile from my work. then i take the stairs to get to work, and break, and at lunch. I walk from room to room to assess patients. Then i walk back to the bus (sometimes run to make it!) and park as far aS possible from the bus at the park and ride. its alot of walking when i work.
Hey Oblad Family! I was hoping I would run into your blog eventually. Hope all is well! We should do something!
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