The Power of Walking

One Key Towards Opening The Door To Better Health

Tides of Change
April 1st & 2nd, 2008

Timothy E. Churetta
Wellness and Fitness Teacher
Northwestern Lehigh School District
How Do You See It?
 Check-in
Respecting all of our differences,
why did you register for this seminar?
What attracted you to The Power of
Walking? What is one goal that you
wish to walk out of here today having
established? But first, lets take it one
step at a time Who are you?
Where are you from?
 Todays Schedule
Step 1: Introductions
Step 2: A Cultural Epidemic
Step 3: What is Walking?
Step 4: Benefits of Walking
Step 5: Preparing for Exercise, The Educational Piece
Step 6: Preparing for Exercise, The Physical Piece
Step 7: The Walk
Step 8: Cooling Down with Questions
Live as if you were living for
the second time and had acted
as wrongly the first time as you
are about to act now.
- Viktor Frankl
Mans Search For Meaning
One Mind, One Body
Our country spends $132 billion a year on diabetes-
related illnesses, and 200,000 Americans are dying each
year. You can change those individuals who are pre-
diabetic, which amounts to 16 more million Americans,
by encouraging them to lose 10 to 15 pounds, and by
walking 30 minutes a day five or six times a week.
We spend $117 billion a year on obesity-related
illnesses, from which 300,000 Americans die. Upwards
to two-thirds of Americans are overweight and obese. A
proper diet and exercise can help reduce your chances
of becoming a statistic.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/67/79946.htm
 Justification
Intimidation Factors
Media Messages
Lack of Time
Negative Image of Exercise
Slow Results
Money
Lack of Support
Motivation
 Walking
- A form of locomotion. Self-propelled movement
characterized by a heel to toe motion with the absence
of a flight phase.

"Walking is the best possible exercise." - Thomas Jefferson

 What It Looks Like
Always stretch before you begin.
Start at a slow, comfortable pace.
Maintain good posture.
Keep your ears centered over your shoulders which are centered
over your hips.
Keep your chest up and out.
Relax your shoulders.
Maintain a good rocking motion.
Keep your foot swing natural.
Pace yourself.
Swing your arms.
Always perform a light cool-down.
 Benefits of Walking
Improves cardiovascular fitness.
Helps build and maintain bones and muscles.
Helps control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce fat.
Reduces feelings of sadness, stress, and anxiety.
Promotes positive mental health, including higher levels
of self-esteem.
Increases flexibility and aerobic endurance.
Increases energy levels.
Promotes healthier sleep habits.
 Benefits of Walking
"All things being equal, you will burn more
calories by running an hour than walking an
hour. It is true that walking a mile will burn
more calories than running a mile -- although
it takes longer to do so. When you run a
mile, you're burning mostly sugar, or
carbohydrates, which is how your body gives
you fast energy in bursts. When you walk a
mile, it gives your metabolism time to switch
from burning carbohydrates to burning fat."
Dr. Dean Ornish, clinical professor of medicine, UC San
Francisco
Preparing for Exercise
What Do I Need?
Basic Steps A Step Ahead Weather Pending
Shoes Specialty Shoes Cleats
Socks CoolMax Socks Micro-fleece/Vest
Undergarments Athletic Hat
Weather appropriate Undergarments Mittens
clothes CoolMax Top and
Bottom
Additional
Hydration Device Reflective Shell
Pedometer Music Device
GPS Watch Protection
Heart Rate Identification
Monitor Money
Cell Phone
 Preparing for Exercise
Have a checkup before beginning an exercise program. Follow the special
advice that your health professional gives you for getting a smart start.
Plan to either walk a certain number of minutes or get a pedometer for
counting your daily number of steps.
Start with reachable, short-term goals, such as increasing your walks by 5
minutes each day. Or, increase your number of steps by 100 if you've
recently been inactive or by 2,000 if you're relatively fit. It's easiest to
stick to something new when you have early, frequent successes.
Start each walk with a warm-up, speed up your pace in the middle, and
finishing with a slower cool-down at the end.
To stay motivated, walk with your family, friends, or coworkers. Daily
dog walks are also a great way to keep up your walking routine.
After you've made walking a regular habit, set a longer-term goal for
yourself, such as walking briskly for at least 30 minutes a day or for a
daily total of 10,000 steps, 5 days a week or more.
Preparing for Exercise
The Importance of Nutrition
Hydration is critically important.
Dont start on an empty stomach.
Allow time to pass before exercising after a large meal.
Opt for a carb. snack 30-90 minutes before your
workout.
Experiment to see what works best for you.

http://www.thewalkingsite.com/nutrition.html
Preparing for Exercise
Stretching:
Head Circles
Arm Circles
Hip Stretch
Quadriceps Stretch
Calf Stretch
Soleus Calf Stretch
Leg Extensions
Cross Over Leg Swings
* Remember: Walking is a full body workout. Stretch each muscle
group for at least 15 seconds.
 The Walk

Everyone Ready?
 Cool-down
Slow down your pace.
Do not stop completely.
Avoid sitting down.
Hydrate.
Refuel.
Perform light stretches.
Injury Identification
Listen to your body
Expect minimal soreness.
Identify the location of your pain.
Evaluate your workout.
Do not be overcome by guilt.
Hydrate.
Contact a certified professional if necessary.
 Your Next Step
Where you go from here
is up to you. Remember,
just like your
fingerprints and your
walking technique,
everyone is different, so
select a path that best fits
you.
Set both short-term and
long-term goals.
Remember to to listen to
your body.
Reward yourself for
reaching established
Questions

Churettat@nwlehighsd.org
 Information
Specialty Stores
The Finish Line Running Store Aardvark Running Store
Emmaus, PA 18049 Bethlehem, PA 18018
Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Recommended Walking Sites

Ironton Rail Trail Lehigh Valley Parkway
Slatington Rail Trail Walnutport Canal Assoc.
Appalachian Trail Rodale Park