Ames in Focus: Wellness Without the Kale with Kacie Schumann

Wellness can sometimes feel complicated. Eat better. Exercise more. Get enough sleep. Reduce stress. And somehow find time to do all of that while still living your life.

In this episode of Ames in Focus, Bill Gebhart sits down with City of Ames Health Promotion Coordinator Kacie Schumann to talk about making health and wellness a little more approachable, one step at a time.

One easy way to get started? Take a walk.

The Healthiest State Annual Walk is coming up Wednesday, Oct. 7. Ames residents are invited to meet at Ames City Hall at noon and join the community for a walk as part of the statewide event. Bill and Kacie talk about the benefits of walking, the importance of social connection, and why improving your health doesn't have to mean making a huge change overnight.

They also talk about how an event like the Healthiest State Walk can be a starting point rather than a one-day activity. Kacie shares ideas for meeting people where they are, making movement accessible, and turning small choices into habits that can last well beyond Oct. 7.

Then, Bill and Kacie go behind the microphone of another show on the City of Ames Podcast Network, Live Well, Be Well. The podcast explores everything from sleep and mindfulness to screen time, workplace wellness, sun safety, and more. Kacie talks about how topics are selected, the importance of looking beyond health trends to reliable information and research, and some of the subjects she'd like to explore in future episodes.

In this episode:

Making health and wellness feel more achievable

The Healthiest State Annual Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 7

The physical, mental, and social benefits of walking

Why wellness doesn't have to be all or nothing

How small choices can build healthier habits