Whether it’s a brisk walk after work or a leisurely stroll before lunch, walkers at the University of Missouri–St. Louis have a new tool to help them calculate distances on campus.
Twelve walking maps, eight for UMSL’s North Campus and four for South Campus, can be found on the T. E. Atkins UM Wellness Program website. The UM systemwide wellness program is offered to all primary subscribers of UM Health plans. Programs on each of the UM System’s four campuses have grown to include initiatives to address exercise, weight management, stress and smoking.
Visiting The Nosh for lunch? Take a one-mile stroll following the MSC map. Approximate time: 20 minutes. Number of steps: 2,037. Rather take a stroll over on South Campus? The Nursing Administration Building course runs 0.84 miles. Approximate time: 17 minutes. Number of steps: 1,711. Combine two or three routes for added benefit.
“The Healthy for Life program offers various programs for faculty and staff,” said Jenny Workman, UM Wellness Program manager. “We offer programs and resources in physical activity, stress reduction, nutrition and tobacco cessation. Recently, Healthy for Life began offering FitBit Zips — electronic pedometers that track your steps, mileage and calories. After your first million miles, the purchase price is fully rebated, and additional prizes are available for every additional million steps. Also, there are new walking and weight-loss challenges available for individual departments or even the whole campus.”
Other UMSL campus wellness offerings include walking groups, Weight Watchers classes, wellness workshops, Tai Chi and mindfulness-based stress reduction classes using meditation, yoga and other mind-body techniques.
For more information, call the Healthy for Life program office at 573-884-1312.