Miles for Wellness is a virtual, team-based walking initiative by and for the state employees of North Carolina. The purpose of Miles for Wellness is to encourage and support employees to increase their level of physical activity, with the goal of 10,000 steps, or the equivalent of 5 miles, achieved most days of the week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

It can help:

• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Reduce your risk of some cancers
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Improve your mental health and mood
• Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you’re an older adult
• Increase your chances of living longer

If you’re not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you’re afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.

Join my team, cmello@ncsu.edu, and/or start your own. Remember, full time employees and state retirees can participate in this FREE challenge.

Miles for Wellness is sponsored by the Operational Division of the Office of State Human Resources, with challenges taking place twice a year. Teams are comprised of up to ten people in four categories: tortoise, hare, super hare, and bionic hare.

Each challenge has a different theme with weekly step count totals that are added up and plotted on a virtual map. Get in your steps, get active and connect with coworkers!

Miles for Wellness Challenge 26: Brilliant Venues of the National Football League (NFL) begins on September 26, 2022 and runs/walks through November 20. We will be visiting 20 NFL stadiums across the United States for a total of 9,000 miles. The first stadium we visit will be Bank of America Stadium in our very own state! It is on 33 acres in uptown Charlotte and seats an amazing 74,867 people. There are so many interesting facts about each of the 20 stadiums we will strive to virtually visit this fall.

Registration will run through September 26, 2022. This program is designed to help encourage employees of all fitness levels to stay active and connect online with teammates while completing a virtual trek and learning facts about each stadium we visit.

From the time you wake up and take your first step, until you go to bed [including sleepwalkers], every step you take counts.