Members of the Ole Miss Rebels baseball coaching staff lead the first RebelWell Fall Walking Challenge Wednesday walk around campus. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Communications
More than 30 university faculty and staff members gathered on the Lyceum steps Wednesday morning for the kickoff to RebelWell’s Fall Walking Challenge. Members of the baseball coaching staff led the 30-minute walk down University Avenue, around the Grove to Sorority Row and back to the Lyceum.
During the six-week challenge, university employees are encouraged to log 30 minutes of physical activity each day.
“The intent of the RebelWell program is to make people aware of their choices and encourage them to make healthier choices,” project coordinator Wendy Carmean said.
Being active for just 30 minutes each day drastically improves health, she said.
“Sitting is the ‘new smoking,'” she said. “You can’t reverse the damage you do all day, so it’s important to get up and move around every few hours.”
A 2013 survey indicated that people who sit for the majority of the day while working are more likely to be depressed and have an increased risk of heart attack.
“I think it’s a good way to get away from your desk, get moving, spend time with other people and enjoy our beautiful campus,” said Sunny Eicholtz, alumni affairs special events assistant and an active RebelWell participant.
RebelWell’s registered dietitian, Mariana Anaya, was on hand to answer questions about nutrition and to raise awareness of the services offered through RebelWell. Those services include cooking classes, information about healthy dining options on campus and ongoing activities and events to promote health and wellness.
Employees and students can schedule counseling sessions with Anaya at a discounted rate. For more information about scheduling an appointment, call 662-915-2081.
The challenge will begin at 10 a.m. each Wednesday through Nov. 11 on the Lyceum steps.
Participants of the walking challenge will be entered into drawings to win gift cards and other prizes. Five winners will be selected and one department will win a healthy catered lunch.