Wellness Center

Physical Activity

Physical activity is one of the most significant predictors of your health status. In fact, being inactive is more life-threatening than being overweight. Engaging in moderate, consistent levels of physical activity is known to prevent or alleviate chronic diseases, improve physical well being, and decrease stress, anxiety and feelings of depression. Despite the curative and preventive factors associated with physical activity, at least one fourth of all Americans lead a completely sedentary lifestyle and over 50% do not meet the CDC recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 days per week.

Barriers to physical activity are numerous, and those most often cited include lack of time, skill and access to resources. Fortunately, getting moderate physical activity does not require a trip to the gym, expensive workout equipment, or even much time. Walking is one of the most accessible and attainable physical activities and is within most individual's capabilities. To alleviate the time constraints most people experience throughout their day, taking three 10-minute walks per day provides similar health benefits as one 30-minute daily walk. As indicated on the map below, conveniently-located paths, both indoor and outdoor, have been created to facilitate quick walks wherever you are on campus. Click on any pawprint on the map to get to the Saluki Striding Paths descriptions and maps.

(Track your progress with the 100 mile club)




start! Walking Paths

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has joined Southern Illinois Healthcare and E.T. Simonds as a co-sponsor of the Southern Illinois American Heart Association Start! Walking Program. Together with the Jackson County Healthy Communities Coalition and the Franklin-Williamson Healthy Communities Coalition, we have created local paths throughout the region. To try out additional walking paths in the region, check out the SIH Start! Walking Paths page at http://www.sih.net/home.nsf/content/startwalkingpaths. 
Just look for the signs with the green Start! logo.






Click on the link above to find out what is going on in Southern Illinois.