(Chelsea Update would like to thank Sheri Montoye for the information in this story.)
August has arrived and the Healthy Communities Walking Program offers the following tips to help you move more.
Even if you’ve let your walking routine slip a bit, remember that every day is a new opportunity to start again and get active.
Just a few days of increasing your steps to at least 7,500 will begin to affect your wellness in positive ways.
No time for “a walk” during the day? Here are some simple and easy ideas.
- Take a break from work or chores every hour to walk for 2 minutes.
- Park four blocks away from one or two of your stops during the day.
- Take a walk around your yard or building for just a couple minutes.
- Find the bathroom that is furthest from your desk, or at the furthest end of your home and take the long way there any time you need to go there.
- See how many people will go for a quick walk after lunch or dinner.
- Volunteer to walk a dog once per week.
- Walk in place during TV commercials or while folding laundry.
- Stop at the Chelsea High School track and walk a lap or two in whatever clothes or shoes you are wearing. Or do it barefoot.
- Put on a pedometer and see how many steps you already take in a day. Figure out what you have to do to add 500 steps.
- Do not carry everything in one trip. Take several trips every time you have things to carry. More trips = more steps.
For more information, contact Sheri Montoye, community point person for the Healthy Communities Walking Program, which includes Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Grass Lake, and Stockbridge, She can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 593-6271.
