Australia’s peak body for the exercise and active health sector has set the residents of neighbouring electorates with a unique challenge.
AUSactive is on a mission to encourage greater physical activity among Australians, starting with the Sunshine Coast and surrounds.
People in Fisher, Fairfax, Wide Bay and Longman have been invited to join the challenge and complete 75 moves a day, to help their electorate reach the million milestone first.
The challenge started on May 1 and runs for 21 days.
Sunshine Coast fitness businesses have jumped onboard to support the challenge by offering free gym access, classes and sessions.
Local MPs including Andrew Wallace, Ted O’Brien, Llew O’Brien and Terry Young are among the event’s advocates, alongside Australian fitness ambassadors like Kayla Itsines and Guy Leech.
Mr O’Brien, the Federal Member for Fairfax, said the support of local businesses was not only vital but showed the Sunshine Coast’s community spirit of supporting grassroots community initiatives.
“It’s fantastic to see local Sunshine Coast businesses supporting community initiatives such as the Million Moves challenge,” he said.
“The community spirit is strong and with the support of business offering free access to a range of fitness options we are hoping more people get involved to achieve 75 moves a day for 21 days in May.
“I exercise because it clears my mind, it keeps me mentally healthy and physically healthy.
“I will be playing full-contact rugby union against my six-year-old son and hoping I win.”
Jetts Australia CEO and managing director Elaine Jobson said the Sunshine Coast was the perfect location for a fitness challenge.
“The Sunshine Coast just loves to get active,” she said.
“We play host to some of Asia-Pacific’s best sporting participation events and not only have we got some of the best beaches in the world, we average 300-plus days of sunshine a year, making it a great place to get outside and be active.
“We are also a big community that enjoys supporting each other and getting together for something fun.
“The Million Moves initiatives will be great fun for everyone, so grab the kids and even the grandparents to hit 75 moves a day in May.”
Mr Wallace, the Federal Member for Fisher, said the initiative was designed to get more people active and building a fitness routine.
“Seventy-five per cent of Australians don’t get the required amount of physical exercise a day,” he said.
“The most important thing is to get off the couch and get active.
“This challenge is for all ages and abilities and moves can be big or small. It’s just about getting active each day. It’s about staying healthy and I can’t wait to take part in this challenge. I’ll be swimming, walking and cycling to get my daily target.”
Individuals can activate their own moves or take part in a range of community and business events, while accessing a range of offers from AUSactive’s Sunshine Coast members.
AUSactive CEO Barrie Elvish said one of the association’s priorities was to get more Australians physically active more often and the Million Moves initiative was a challenge to inspire the community to build a regular fitness routine.
“Inactivity is the second leading risk factor contributing to chronic disease in Australia and it’s preventable,” he said.
“Getting more active is essential for our physical and mental health and it can be as simple as a regular walk.
“Million Moves is a fantastic opportunity for the people of the Sunshine Coast to inspire the nation and show just how easy it is to weave extra movement into your day.
“We’ve had a huge amount of support from our members on the Sunshine Coast and I can’t wait to see the million moves smashed come May 21.”
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