Walk to Work Day 2008
On April Friday, 4th Battle the Bulge, Beat the Blues and Boost the Family Budget by Ditching the Car and Walking to Work During National Walk to Work Day
Held the first Friday in April, National Walk to Work Day 2008 will celebrate its 5th Anniversary on Friday, April 4. Endorsed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Prevention Magazine and the California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA), the fifth-annual
event encourages Americans to turn their commute into an exercise and healthy living opportunity by walking to work.
The reason is clear: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20-74 more than doubled between 1980 and 2004, soaring from 15 percent to nearly 33 percent. Meanwhile, study after study indicates that moderate exercise for 30 minutes per day reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, stress and depression.
“The cost of our not walking as a nation -- and living sedentary lifestyles -- is staggering. Our county is facing an obesity epidemic. In fact, obesity and poor physical fitness are catching up to smoking as the leading causes of preventable death,” says CPMA President Dr. Ernest J. Hook, a podiatric surgeon who practices in Folsom, CA.
“Walking is just about the best health bargain around. It's FREE, fun, easy to do, environmentally friendly and research supports the long-standing belief that taking just a few extra steps a day can improve the lives of all Americans.
“A walk can be an invigorating way to clear your head and ready yourself for the workday. It can also help increase productivity at work. Instead of meeting in the boardroom, head outside with your colleagues - you'll be amazed at the ideas you generate when your body is in motion. Walking to work can also help reduce the increasingly large bite that filling-up the car is taking out of the family budget, while reducing congestion and population,” says Dr. Hook.
How to Participate: Californians are encouraged to walk for all, or part of, their commute to work on Friday, April 4. Aim for at least a minimum 15 minute walk each way. If you take public transportation, try walking to a further stop before boarding, or getting off a stop earlier and walking the rest of the distance to work. If you have a long commute, and walking to work isn’t possible park further away and walk the extra distance to the office, take the stairs, and invite your co-workers to join you for a walk after lunch.
The Goal: Add Healthy Steps to Your Day: A brisk walk can help you and your family both feel and look better, increase energy, tone your muscles, and pick-up your spirits. Walking for 30-60 minutes a day can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, strengthen your heart, decrease stress, and greatly reduce the likelihood of serious health problems down the road such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and arthritis. By finding a way to make walking part of each day, you are giving yourself proven health benefits.
Shoes: Your walking shoes should be comfortable for walking 15-30 minutes at a stretch. If your work shoes don't work for walking, wear athletic shoes and carry along your work shoes to change into. “Care should be taken when purchasing shoes,” said Dr. Hook. The California Podiatric Medical Association offers the following tips for buying shoes.
- Shop for shoes later in the day; feet tend to swell during the day, and it’s best to be fitted while they are in that state.
- Try to select a shoe with a firm midsole, stiff heel counter, appropriate cushioning, and flexibility at the ball of the foot.
- Have your feet measured while you’re standing.
- Be sure shoes fit well
- Buy shoes that don’t pinch your toes, either at the tips, or across the toe box.
- Always try on both shoes, and walk around the store.
- Always buy for the larger foot; feet are seldom precisely the same size.
- Don’t buy shoes that need a “break-in” period; shoes should be comfortable immediately.
- Try on shoes while you’re wearing the same type of socks or stockings you expect to wear with the shoes.
- If you wear prescription orthotics—biomechanical inserts prescribed by a podiatric physician—you should take them along to shoe fittings.
Use a Pedometer: To promote weight loss and prevent weight gain, use a pedometer; a pedometer can motivate you to log more steps each day.
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