Got the winter blues? Feeling a bit blah and want to do more exercise? Eaten too much cake? Well, hey me too 🙂

I invite you to join me in doing the Australasian University Health Challenge which UC is part of. I’m coordinating the library’s participation. Registrations are open now, and the challenge begins on 19 August. Please let me know if you want to be part of the UC Library cohort – this is so I can co-ordinate activities for us to support each other in the challenge.

What is it?

The challenge is simple, you need to complete 10,000 steps a day from 19 August to 29 September. As daunting as this may sound, it is not impossible. Once you take into account walking to and from office, up and down stairs, to and from meetings, and around the campus, the steps starts to rack up without you even knowing.

What if I can’t do that many steps per day?

It doesn’t matter. If you did more than yesterday then you’re getting health benefits. During my recovery a couple of years ago from breaking my hip I got through it by thinking about what I could do, not what I couldn’t do. If you have an injury we can work around that.

How do I count my steps?

• Fit-Bits, Garmin products, or similar fitness trackers
• Smart watches
• Your Smartphone
• Or a pedometer borrowed from the UC Rec & Sports Team

Find the device that suits your lifestyle best before the event launch on August 19. If you want you can also download the 10,000 steps app to help upload your steps via your mobile device.

Where do I sign up?

• Go to the 10,000 steps website: https://www.10000steps.org.au/ and click sign up
• Enter your details
• Check your emails for a conformation email and then click confirm
• Choose UC as your institution

NOTE: The website asks for your height, weight and waist measurements which I frankly found a bit off-putting. The reason for this is they are measures of health. This information is PRIVATE and can’t seen by others, but I also discovered that if you  are really not comfortable with that you can enter 0 into everything and it still lets you register.

Get in touch with me if you have any questions or would like some help signing up: ext 93915 or joanna.condon@canterbury.ac.nz