1. Getting a team together
Teams are formed of five people who will monitor their steps and overall physical activities over a 9-weeks period. Teams may not have more than five members.
Teams consisting of members from each of these groups will earn additional 10,000 social steps:
- Faculty/instructors/teacher
- Students
- Staff
- Community
Being in a team provides motivation to stay with the program. Here is what a past participant has to say:
2. Nominating a Team Leader
- Each team must have a team leader
- Check the “Team Leader information” page for Team Leader responsibilities.
3. Naming your team
We encourage you to name your team based on this year’s theme: Year of Teacher Education.
If you are not sure about your team name, please feel free to contact us at: walkabout.ubc@gmail.com.
4. Completing the online registration
Each person on the team will need to complete the online registration
5. Recording your steps
- Your pedometer has the ability to measure the number of steps you have walked. (See below for measuring exact distances based on your stride length).
- Keep your daily step record in your Step Count spreadsheet (also available from your team leader), or mark your steps in your calendar.
- Send your weekly totals to your team leader on the Monday of every week.
- Your team leader will then upload the step count for your entire group.
What are social steps?
- Social steps double your overall step count! When you participate in fitness activities with other Walkabout challenge members, you get to add social steps to your daily step count.
- When you go for a walk with a teammate (or any Walkabout participant) both of you make a note of your pedometer count at the beginning and end of the walk. Then, you get to count your steps twice – once for your daily actual step count (tracked on your pedometer), and once for your daily social step count.
- Join scheduled group walks to increase your overall steps and earn social steps (group walks are scheduled during 9-weeks Walkabout competition).
Strategies for extra steps
- Find a buddy to walk with and set time aside each day to walk and talk
- Park in the farthest space from the store or mall
- Wake up earlier and go for a walk
- Take a walking break instead of a coffee break
- Walk, run and play actively with your children, or grandchildren or dogs
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Change channels on the TV the old fashioned way
How to Use Your Pedometer
- Your pedometer has the ability to measure the number of steps you have walked, the distance traveled and the calories you burn.
- Pedometers are designed to be worn at the waistline, directly in line with the midpoint of the thigh and kneecap. This positioning will be accurate for most users, but some may need to make adjustments.
