Sign-up in April for the WOMAN Challenge!

The eighth annual National Women's Health Week, May 13th through May 19th, encourages women to take their health into their own hands by taking simple steps for a longer, healther, and happier life. This year's theme, "It's Your Time: Pamper your Mind, Body and Spirit." Throughout the week communitiaes, health organizations, families, and the government will be promoting women's health through activities, free or reduced health screening in many areas, and focus on women's health issues.

The Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation or 'WOMAN' Challenge is the National Women's Health Week's kick-off event. Sponsored by the the US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, the idea is to encourage women to become more active and take a more active role in their health and healthcare.

Women and girls who sign up for the Challenge can choose to walk 10,000 steps every day, or exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. To motivate women and girls to participate, those women who sign up to walk will be able to "choose their path across the country." With 6 different routes to choose from, women will be able to track their progress. Each day participants are encouraged to sign in and record their steps or hours. And each of the 8 weeks the Challenge is active, participants will receive an email to encourage them and offer some facts on women's health.

Beginning this month (April), women can sign up for the Challenge on their website, listed below. When you register by May 1st, you should receive a pedometer and tracking log before the Challenge begins on May 13th. There is a limited supply of pedometers, so hurry to register! And even if you don't receive a pedometer, you can either purchase one, or simply use the activity tracking log to keep track of your movement.

At the sign-up site there will be several areas to look at. Be sure to read the FAQ page, as they show you what the tracking log looks like, how to enter information into it, and even how to get more exercise during your day.

It's a great opportunity to connect with friends or even the women in your family! Find some women and sign up. Be proactive--Be Active.

To sign up or to look into this, go to http://www.womenshealth.gov/woman/index.cfm.

Oh, and don't forget to schedule a checkup with your doctor for May 14th. The second day of Women's Health Week is National Women's Checkup Day. And help the women you know celebrate too. Remind them, encouraging them, and get active with them. Women can take their health into their own hands.


If you are interested in downloading the tracking log, one should be available at this site download your tracking log.