Berry's Picks

We have had some dramatic changes in the weather the last week or so, it feels like fall in the mornings and evenings. This is a perfect time to get back into or start your healthy living program.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Comanche County will host a fall Walk Across Texas program from Sept. 12 through Nov.7.

If you already have a good exercise and health routine, then this will give you the opportunity to have some friendly competition and fun socialization.

If you have been wanting to start a health routine, then this a great team-oriented program to help motivate you to get started and keep a healthy lifestyle throughout the year.

The Walk Across Texas program encourages people to develop a habit of regular physical activity. Teams and individuals walk or run, dance, garden, swim or do any other form of exercise for an eight‐week period. Each 20 minutes of exercise counts as one mile. At the end of that time each team’s or person’s total mileage is added up. The goal for each team is to virtually walk the 832 miles it would take to cross Texas during the eight-week period.

You can do this by logging in several types of activities that can be converted into miles. To help keep you motivated you can log in and track your individual and team progress throughout the program. While 832 miles is the goal, there is no limit as to how many miles participants can log!

You can walk together, individually, outside, at a mall, at a grocery store or at a gym whatever fits your schedule and lifestyle. Keep track of your team’s miles to see if together you can go the equivalent of the 832 miles it would take to walk across Texas in eight weeks. Any adult can participate. Bring your family, friends, neighbors, pets, coworkers. Teams consist of 8 people and will need a Team Captain to set up their team. To register for the eight‐week program, team captains can visit: www. howdyhealth.org and use League number: watL220809-18920 to register their teams. Once the team captain has their team set-up individuals can go in and register under their respective teams.

We will be having our Kickoff Event at the Comanche City Park Pavilion on Sept. 12 at 6 p. m.

We are doing things a little different at the Kickoff Event this go- around.

We will have the Texas A&M Walk Across Texas Health Specialist Michael Lopez on hand to talk briefly about the WAT program and good exercise and health routines.

We also plan to have a few awesome door prizes to award to lucky winners. We will even have some Core Power Protein Milk for all the walkers.

To get a start on your miles willing participants can make a loop around the park, so wear your walking shoes. Attendance is not required at the “Kickoff ”, but it will be well worth your while to come if you can. I f you would like more information about “Walk Across Texas” call or come by the office 325356- 2539.

Walk Across Texas is a free, eight‐week program designed to help Texans establish the habit of regular physical activity. Since 1996, thousands of Texans have participated in Walk Across Texas!