Launched on Kerala’s Foundation Day (also known as ‘Kerala Piravi’), which falls on November 1, this month-long challenge aims at enhancing the health consciousness of the people of the state and to encourage youth to make physical exercise a part of their lives. Free for all, the challenge requires the participants to walk or run every single day or as many days as possible in the month of November, and track the distance they cover using a fitness app.
Participants need to form a team (not exceeding ten members) and compete collectively in the challenge. The individuals and the teams that log the largest distance will get prizes in relevant categories. The place they choose for walking or running can be outdoors or indoors. Fitness November challenge has attracted the participation of about 500+ fitness enthusiasts from AYUDH chapters across Kerala, besides the public. The members of AYUDH have formed 50 teams to participate in this challenge. Talking about the FitnessNovember challenge, Murali Krishnan, AYUDH – Kerala, said,
“Kerala has made several achievements in the health sector. It scores well in the parameters like high life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, and low death rates. However, lifestyle diseases are on the rise in the state due to insufficient physical exercise and altered food habits. It is reported that as much as 52% of total deaths in the productive age group of 30-59 years in Kerala is directly or indirectly linked to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease – while the national average is only about 42%. Enhancing public awareness and conviction about lifestyle changes is hence important. We hope challenges like #FitnessNovember will get more youth to become health conscious and make physical exercise a part of their life.”
