I hope your year is off to a great start. In my New Years’ Day column I invited you to develop an action plan for healthy living. If healthy eating and increasing physical activity is part of your action plan I have another suggestion. Consider signing up for the “Active Aging” workshop set to begin soon.
The eight week program promoting an active and healthy lifestyle is free to anyone 50 years and older. Grant money I secured from the Katey Walker Foundation at KSU will provide funds for healthy food samples and materials shared with participants.
Eight Thursday mornings, February 2nd through March 22nd, participants will meet from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. at the Great Bend Recreation Center meeting room at 1214 Stone Street. Each day a different healthy lifestyle presentation will be shared. Updated information about MyPlate, portion distortion, label reading, carb counting, sodium, whole grain, fiber and the DASH diet will be shared. Following the nutrition presentation a variety of activities will be led, including SWAT aerobics, vita bands, Zumba, dance, chair exercises and falls prevention. Each session will end with sampling a healthy snack.
During the eight week program, participants will be encouraged to exercise in the Cavanaugh Wellness Center at the Recreation Center. Of course, indoor walking is also available at GBRC when the weather is not cooperating. Keep in mind that all of the things I am mentioning are free to “Active Aging” participants.
This workshop is sponsored by Elder Care, the Great Bend Recreation Commission, and Barton County Extension. It has been fun to meet with Janet Splitter, Linda Black, Diann Henderson, and Megan Hammeke, to put the finishing touches on this educational workshop.
Participants may register for “Active Aging” by calling the Great Bend Recreation Center (620)793-3755.
Donna Krug is the Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at (620793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu