Physical activity improves health and well-being. It reduces stress, strengthens the heart and lungs, increases energy levels, helps you maintain and achieve a healthy body weight and it improves your outlook on life.
Research shows that physical inactivity can cause premature death, chronic disease and disability. Health Canada encourages Canadians to integrate physical activity into their every day life; at home, at school, at work, at play and on the way ... that's active living!
For children, regular physical activity is essential for healthy growth and development. For adults, it allows daily tasks to be accomplished with greater ease and comfort and with less fatigue. For seniors, weight-bearing physical activity reduces the rate of bone loss associated with osteoporosis and regular physical activity maintains strength and flexibility, balance and coordination and can help reduce the risk of falls. Regular physical activity prolongs independent living Being physically active not only strengthens your body, it also makes you feel good about yourself. (Source: Health Canada website, 2008)
LifeWorks sponsors a variety of programs, through the Ignite! Physical Activity Network, designed to encourage individuals and families in Hastings and Prince Edward counties to be physically active every day.
Ignite!
Ignite! is the physical activity network of Hastings and Prince Edward counties. We are an energetic group of community organizations and individuals with the common interest of promoting physical activity.
Our vision: The places where we live, learn, work, and play will support the choice to be physically active.
To help make this happen – we meet once a month to:
- Share – our ideas, activities, and resources
- Learn – enjoy educational opportunities
- Collaborate – work together to promote physical activity in Hastings & Prince Edward counties.
Present Ignite! members include:
- City of Belleville Parks and Recreation Department
- City of Quinte West Community & Leisure Services
- County of Prince Edward Recreation, Parks, & Culture Department
- Friends of the Frink Centre
- Gateway Community Health Centre
- Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Health Unit
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
- Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Recreation Department
- Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture, Sports & Recreation
- Prince Edward Fitness and Aquatic Centre
- Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative
- Township of Tyendinaga Parks and Recreation Department
- YMCA Belleville
For more information or to find out about the next meeting – contact Lesley Kennedy at the Health Unit’s Belleville office at 613-966-5513 ext. 339.
Trails Guide Updated - Take a hike!
Trails provide an ideal place for people to be active. Trails offer a place to hike, bike, ski or canoe. Trails come in a variety of lengths, surfaces, and locations. Many are open 12 months a year, with little or no user fees.
LifeWorks' partners and local trails groups have updated the "Trails Guide for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties". It now lists 24 local trails, up from 15 in the previous version. Each trail has a short description, icons of potential activities and a list of services, e.g. washrooms.
Free copies of the guide are available at all branches of the Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Health Unit and at Quinte Conservation.
Walking and other physical activities contribute to better health. Besides reducing the risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, physical activity also increase energy and mood. It's a moving experience. So, take a hike!
For more information on adding activity to your lifestyle, call Marie Clarke at 613-966-5513 ext. 309. If long distance, call 1-800-267-2803 ext. 309. TTY Line 613-966-3036 Mon.-Fri. 8:30 - 4:30.
Walk This Way!
What is it?
Walk This Way! is a program for men and women ages 20 to 64 who are interested in adding more physical activity to their daily lives.
How does it work?
Participants follow a six week program that will help them to make walking a habit. Using the two parts of the kit, a booklet and a laminated memo board, people will learn how to set personal goals, schedule walking into their day, and record their participation. They will also learn how to get past barriers and learn tips on stretching, clothing, and safety.
Who can receive it?
Two groups of people are able to get Walk This Way!: those not physically active but thinking starting to be active in the next six months, and those who are active sometimes but not regularly. People not eligible for this kit will receive another free package that is correctly matched to their level of physical activity. You must be a resident in the area served by the Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Health Unit.
How to get it!
If you would like more information or if you are interested in receiving a copy of Walk This Way! please call the Health Unit's Healthy Life Line at 613-966-5513 ext. 610. "Walk This Way! is sponsored locally by LifeWorks."
Walking
Indoor Walking
Walking is the most popular form of physical activity. Walking is suitable for all ages and most people, even those with health concerns. It offers benefits similar to the benefits gained through more vigorous forms of activity. People who are regularly active reduce their chance for developing chronic diseases, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. They report experiencing less depression and having more energy.
Indoor walking provides an alternative to walking outside, especially when the weather, or health concerns, makes walking outside more challenging. Some of the benefits people enjoy from indoor walking include:
- climate controlled settings
- flat surface
- no traffic concerns
Pause
the screens and get active!
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends school aged children spend less than
two hours in front of a screen each day. For preschoolers, less than one hour is
recommended. Parents, it's time to get your family up and moving!
Adults should also reduce screen time as 44% of adults in
How to Pause to Play:
1. Don’t surf. Schedule! Decide in advance what programs you
want to watch, turn the TV on ONLY when the show is on and turn it off when the
show is over.
2. Use a timer or an alarm clock to help keep track of the time
spent on video games or surfing the Internet.
3. Set aside time for physical activity every day. Make a habit
of going on an after-supper family walk.
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