Birmingham’s Walk At Lunch Day Is Back, Residents Encouraged to Get Moving

By Chanda Temple | City of Birmingham

In February 2025, Teri Sewell made a commitment to move more.

Instead of just pulling things from the printer at her desk, she took extra steps to walk to a printer in another location at her office. She cut out sugar. And when officials at her office at Legion Field started a walking wellnes program, she looked into that, too.

As the weeks passed, she shifted from a sedentary lifestyle to one filled with more steps, more water and better eating habits. She also didn’t eat anything past 8 p.m. When she ordered out, she cut her meal in half as soon as it arrived at the table and  placed half of the meal in a to-go container.

By mid-April 2025, the scale showed she’d lost 25 pounds, she went down three dress sizes and the numbers for her blood pressure also decreased. The change was so significant, some people thought Sewell had taken weight loss drugs. She had not. What she did take was a deeper commitment for her health.

Today, she is maintaining the weight loss by still moving, still drinking lots of water and still watching what she eats.

“When you walk, you just feel better,” said Sewell, 44. “The sun was designed to uplift and brighten your day. It’s designed to energize your body.”

“A sunny day outweighs a dull day anytime.”

This year, the city’s Park and Rec Department will once again host its walking wellness initiative at Legion Field to help improve people’s health and get people ready for the city’s annual Walk at Lunch Day, which will be held on Wednesday, April 29 in front of Birmingham City Hall, said Tresha Moore, public relations manager for Park and Rec.

Now, every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Park and Rec Director of Fitness Jace Hamilton will lead a walk on the tarmac inside Legion Field. Enter at Gate 17. The last walk at Legion Field will be on Tuesday, April 28. Legion Field’s address is 400 Graymont Ave.

On Wednesday, April 29 people are encouraged to join the city’s BWell BHM, Park and Rec reps and other community partners in front of Birmingham City Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to enjoy food trucks, giveaways, a DJ, line dancing and health resources. Walks around Linn Park will start with warm-ups and be held every 30 minutes at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. City Hall’s address is 710 – 20th Street North.

Geno Reasor, wellness specialist with the city’s Human Resources Department, said the goal of Walk at Lunch Day is to not only get people to move more but to also highlight that sitting for long periods of time every day can be hazardous to one’s health just like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Long sitting times can impact one’s posture, blood circulation and more.

“To get people to move more, we want to remind people to think differently,” Reasor said. “For example, if you plan to have a 10-minute or 15-minute meeting, why not have a walking meeting outside. It’s not just a meeting but a health and wellness opportunity, where people can get work done but also enjoy the sunshine and get some exercise.”

Twenty to 25 health and wellness partners will be present on April 29, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Andrews Sports Medicine, Fleet Feet, the Bama Health Foods bus, physical therapists, chiropractors, and those doing chair massages.

Sewell said she hopes Walk at Lunch Day will be the start of a healthier lifestyle for people, and she encourages residents to visit different Birmingham rec centers for free classes. “We have places for you to continue. It doesn’t have to stop here,” Sewell said.

McAlpine, Memorial Park and Fountain Heights rec centers offer a variety of activities and classes throughout the week. For details on what a rec center offers in your Birmingham neighborhood, please call Legion Field at 205-254-2391 or visit Park and Rec’s Facebook page. 

Here’s a look at other free fitness classes in Birmingham:

Jace Hamilton leads a free yoga class every Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. at Fitness Center North, 421 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.  On Friday, April 10, Rosa Edwards will lead a free line dancing class at the center from 6 to 7 p.m.

Tracy Williams leads her Tracy’s Sensational Seniors line dancing class every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 to 11:30 am at One Pratt Park; every Friday at Titusville Library from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m.; and on the second and fourth Fridays at 1 p.m. at East Ensley Library.

Railroad Park has free fitness classes, weekdays at 6 p.m, from now until Oct. 31. (A pilates class is offered on Saturdays at 8 a.m. and a Senior Fit class is offered on Saturdays at 9 a.m.)

I Am BHAM has the following free classes: 

East Lake:The STAR Church, 7400 London Ave.

• Line Dancing, Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. (inside)
• Instructor – Jane Stokes

Titusville: Memorial Park, 524 Sixth Ave. South 

• Chair Aerobics – Calisthenics, stretching and moderate walking
• Mondays at 9 a.m. (inside)
• Instructor – Rocquelle “Rocki” Mckeithen
• Line Dancing with D2
• Thursdays – 5:30 p.m. (inside)
• Instructor – D2 Line Dancing Instructor

Kingston: Todd Homes Community Center, 7527 66th St. South 

• C3 Workout – Calisthenics, stretching and moderate walking
• Tuesdays 10 a.m. (inside)
• Instructor – Jerri Haslem

Bush Hills: Community Garden and Urban Farm, 1030 Fourth Terrace West 

• Line Dancing with D2
• Mondays – 5:30 p.m.
• Instructor – Jackie Robinson

City Walk (Amphitheater)

• C3 Workout – Calisthenics, stretching and moderate walking
• Tuesdays – 5:30 p.m. (outside)
• Instructor – Jerri Haslem