National Start Walking Day is April 8th!

Start! Walking Arlington:

National Start! Walking Day is April 8

April 8 is the American Heart Association’s National Start! Walking Day. The call to action is simple: Americans should fit 30 minutes of walking into their workday.

Studies reveal that American jobs have become more sedentary and that employees are working 164 more hours a year than they did 20 years ago. The Start! movement works with employers and the 142 million Americans in the workplace to create a culture of walking before, during or after work.

Companies across the country and throughout Arlington are celebrating National Start! Walking Day by hosting fitness rallies, establishing walking routes and encouraging employees to wear walking shoes to work on Wednesday, April 8.

Ballston events include a daytime walking rally. More details will be announced in the near future. The American Heart Association is calling on all businesses in Ballston to join the rally. There will be display and promotional opportunities. Please call Patty MacEwan at 703-248-1719 or visit http://www.startgreaterwashington.org/ for more information.

Sincerely,

Your Start! GWR blogger

GWR Start! General Health Tips

40 to 45% of Americans make one or more New Year resolutions each year. One of the most popular is the one to get healthy and lose weight. However as the months go on less than half will keep their promise to themselves (46%). Below are helpful tips to continue to stay on track with your healthy promises to yourself!

General Health Tips

• Walking is good medicine for your heart. In fact
  it’s great medicine. Did you know that for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise we do, like brisk walking, we can live two hours longer?
• Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity, and is the simplest positive change individuals can make to effectively improve their heart health.
• Research has shown that the benefits of walking and moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week or every day can help you:
• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Improve blood lipid profile
• Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity
• Enhance mental well being
• Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer
• Reduce the risk of non insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes
• Exercise Tips to Help Avoid Injury
• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
• Listen to your body — monitor your level of fatigue, heart rate and physical discomfort.
• Be aware of the signs of overexertion. Breathlessness and muscle soreness could be danger signs.
• Be aware of the warning signs and signals of a heart attack, such as sweating, chest and arm pain, dizziness and light headedness.
• Use appropriate equipment and clothing for the activity.
• Take 3–5 minutes at the beginning of any physical activity to properly warm up your muscles through increasingly intense activity.
• As you near the end of the activity, cool down by decreasing the intensity. (For example, before jogging, walk for 3–5 minutes increasing your pace to a brisk walk. After jogging, walk briskly, decreasing your pace to a slow walk over 3–5 minutes. Finish by stretching the muscles you used – in this case primarily the muscles of the legs.)
• Start at an easy pace — increase time or distance gradually.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to replace lost fluids (i.e., at least eight to ten 8-oz. cups per day). Drink a glass of water before you get moving, and drink another half cup for every 15 minutes that you remain active.

It is also important to couple good exercise practices with good eating ones. Click here for fun, tasty, and HEALTHY foods that can give you that one-two punch to help you stay fit and healthy for years to come!

Sincerely,

Your GWR Start! Blogger