A walking program for students, faculty and staff will be introduced to San Diego State as part of a collaboration between Aztec Recreation Center and Student Health Services.

Step More SDSU encourages the community to get moving and stay active through walking, ARC Programs Coordinator Brett Kehler said. He said the program is suited for SDSU because it helps students build habits that will last their entire lives.

“Along with the current climate of inactivity and obesity plaguing our nation, getting the entire SDSU community involved only makes sense,” Kehler said.

Sign ups are offered at the ARC membership desk until Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m.

The Competition

The competitive program will push participants to log their steps on a daily basis for six weeks. Kehler said the competition is meant for participants to challenge themselves by increasing their step counts by 10 percent each week after their first two weeks.

According to the ARC’s “More than Fitness” blog, participants will receive a step counting log and free pedometer.

“People are motivated by very different things and some don’t like going to the gym or may not like other types of activity, so walking is a great alternative,” School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences professor Susan Levy said. “It can also be a lot of fun, and using tools like pedometers helps with setting and meeting goals for increasing activity.”

Recreation and Wellness Commission students and interns and staff from the ARC and Student Health Services will lead groups on walks around campus and on hikes around the greater San Diego area.

Creating a Community

The vision behind the program is to cultivate a sense of community while promoting healthy behaviors, Levy said.

One of the program’s goals is to make a place where the SDSU community can connect by being active. The program is not limited to students or ARC members.

“I like the idea that it will make the campus a little bit smaller and really raise awareness for health,” anthropology sophomore Kira Collins said.

Closing ceremonies for the program will be held April 17 at SDSU’s health expo: Road to Wellness.

“Step More SDSU is a competition in which everyone who participates is a winner,”  Kehler said.