We do it every day, from the moment
we wake up until bedtime. But
walking is usually a forgotten way to get in shape or stay in shape.
“There are so many benefits to walking
and it’s easy,” says Suzanne Hobson, director of community health for Akron General
Medical Center. “It’s easy to get started and
it’s one of the easiest things you can do to
improve your health and stay active.”
AGMC is again partnering with the Ohio
& Erie Canalway Coalition to promote
walking this year along the towpaths and
trails throughout Summit County. The featured event, Healthy Steps, runs all summer.
Smart Business spoke with Hobson
about how walking can lead to a healthier
lifestyle.
How is walking beneficial for your health?
It gives you more energy. It can help you
relax or reduce stress. It can obviously
tone your muscles and help control your
appetite. It increases the number of calories your body uses and it can reduce your
cardiovascular risk factors. It’s an easy way
to get physically active and it’s inexpensive. What do you need? A pair of walking
shoes.
How much do you have to walk to see a difference?
We recommend 10,000 steps a day
(approximately five miles), which is really
what the surgeon general also recommends to reduce health risks associated
with being overweight or obesity.
If you’re very active in your job and running all over the place, you can count those
steps toward your 10,000 steps a day. Our
program is set up like walking a marathon.
We figured that 52,400 steps would qualify
you for a marathon. There are different levels: gold averages 10,000 steps a day, silver
is 7,500 steps a day and bronze is 5,000 steps a day. You don’t have to be a
marathon runner to do a marathon. We
bring it down to people who enjoy walking
as their activity of choice.
We suggest people talk to their health
care provider about adding exercise
through walking before starting a program.
That’s why we make different levels so
people don’t get discouraged, because
10,000 steps a day is a lot.
How does walking help prevent heart disease?
One of the risk factors of heart disease is
being overweight. That puts more stress on
the heart. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of
women. Walking or other regular aerobic
exercise, as well as a diet low in fat and
other checkups are key to a heart-healthy
lifestyle.
How can you add steps to everyday life?
Take the stairs instead of the elevator,
walk to the mailbox instead of driving to it.
Park a greater distance from the door and
don’t necessarily take the closest spot.
Walk around the parking lot, use a push
mower instead of a riding mower, and grab
a friend and go for a walk. Some companies have walking trails. Maybe during a
lunch break, take a little walk, especially as
the weather gets better.
Can a pedometer help?
What’s fun with the pedometer is it just
gets you to start thinking about how many
steps you take. After a while you probably
won’t need the pedometer, but it’s something nice that can give you an idea of how
many steps you do take in a given day. It
can also help motivate you to take more
steps if you realize you don’t quite have
10,000 or if you realize you can do a little
more. And you’ll feel better, too, after you
do it.
Different pedometers are available, but
anything to get you starting to think about
how many steps you take will be great. I’d
recommend it to anybody.
How can an employer implement a walking
program for employees?
It’s not easy. As busy as people are, it’s not
easy to stay active by walking. It’s easier to
jump in the car and go somewhere than it
is to think ahead and say, ‘OK, if I park over
here I can get another few steps in.’ Include
some milestones for people to achieve,
then throw their names in a hat for a drawing. People tend to get excited about the
drawings and the prizes. Give prizes like
gift certificates to sporting goods stores or
a place to get tennis shoes. The key is just
to get people out and walking.
SUZANNE HOBSON is the director of community health for
Akron General Medical Center. To reach her, or for more information about Healthy Steps, phone (330) 434-5657.
