Walk at Lunch

At noon today, make sure you strap on those sneaks and take a break from sitting at your desk with National Walk @ Lunch Day put on in part by Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Take in the beauty of the spring weather with 1,000’s of others as they get out and get moving today – April 29th, 2015. Walking not only helps you increase your energy, but can also help you to lead a healthier lifestyle. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates the cost to treat illness and chronic disease caused by inactive lifestyles is nearly $1,000 for every family in America, every year.  Simply getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, at least five times a week has significant health benefits, lowering the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, hypertension or type 2 diabetes, and improving the health of muscles, bones and joints.

But what about days that are not National Walk @ Lunch Day? Here are a few ways to increase your activity while at the office every other day of the year:

  1. Take the stairs – This is a perfect way to get your heart rate up. Use the stairs whenever you go get a glass of water or visit a co-worker on a different floor.
  2. Set movement reminders – Every hour or so, you can set a reminder to get up from your desk and either go get a glass of water or just take a quick lap around your floor.
  3. Walk on every break – You don’t need a national walk day to make sure you get out and walking. Bring a change of shoes to work so you can walk to the deli and grab a salad instead of hopping in your car.
  4. Park your car far away – Instead of parking in the closest spot, park in the furthest one away. This forces you to spend extra time walking, not only once, but twice in one day!

In recent years, researchers have taken a serious look at the effects of inactivity, and have repeatedly found that not moving or engaging in very limited-range movements for extended periods of time has a profoundly negative impact on health and longevity. For example, a recent analysis of 18 studies (which in total included nearly 800,000 people) found that those who sat for the longest periods of time were twice as likely to have diabetes or heart disease, compared to those who sat the least. And, while prolonged sitting was linked to an overall greater mortality risk from any cause, the strongest link was to death due to diabetes.

According to a lead researcher in movement correlating with disease, Thomas Yates, MD:

“Even for people who are otherwise active, sitting for long stretches seems to be an independent risk factor for conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease.”

So get out and about today! Take in the sunshine, breathe in the scent of new spring flowers, and begin making healthy lifestyle changes that promote wellness 365 days a year.