Today, April 2, is National Walking Day 2014! This day, established by the American Heart Association, kicks off a "season" of outdoor activity, especially walking. While most of us in Missouri had a rainy start to the day, the rain has cleared off, providing a chance to get out and walk outdoors! The challenge posed by the American Heart Association through National Walking Day, is for individuals to lace up their sneakers and get outside today to walk for at least 30 minutes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend in their "Physical Activity for Everyone" guidelines, that adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week (can split into more manageable ten minute chunks) in addition to muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days per week. If you split up your walking (of moderate-intensity) into three ten-minute increments each day, you only need to walk five days out of the week!
Maybe the thought of getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is scary for you. Perhaps the thought of walking thirty minutes in a day is even intimidating. The Missouri Arthritis and Osteopororis Program, through its Regional Arthritis Centers and other local community health organizations, offers a program that may help you get started on the path to regular walking. The Arthritis Foundation's Walk With Ease program can be done in both group and individual settings. You can even register online today for an at-home Walk With Ease program:
- Northwest RAC sign-up
- Northeast RAC sign-up
- Kansas City RAC sign-up
- Central RAC sign-up
- Call for Eastern, Southwest, or Southeast RAC sign-ups.
For more information on the Walk With Ease program in Missouri, or to find a group class near you, please take a look at www.moarthritis.org. Other physical activity and self-management classes in Missouri can also be found on our website.
National Walking Day can be a great motivator to improve the regularity and strength of your individual walking. Use today as a jumping off point to "Walk With Ease", take a "Step to Better Health", and to work your way up to participating in one of the Walks to Cure Arthritis offered in Missouri during May!