Today, Children’s Hospital Boston kicked off WalkingWorks® – “a 10-week motivational program designed to help participants increase their level of physical activity”. The goal of the program is to see how many times participants can collectively walk from the Washington Monument to the Golden Gate Bridge.

All CHB employees had the option to sign up either as individuals or as a team. So of course the CYWH created our own team! When we signed up, we received a free pedometer (awesome) and a free participant guide with instructions for tracking the number of steps we walk each week. In addition, we’re going to be receiving weekly motivational e-mail reminders and tips. The coolest part is that we’ll be able to track our personal and team progress on a special website.

So, even though I walk on a daily basis (it’s so much quicker than taking the T – plus, it’s good for me!), I’ve never used a pedometer. I usually just guess-timate the amount of time I walk. Figuring out how to set up the pedometer up was a bit tricky, but I finally managed to do it correctly.

It’s my first day wearing my little black pedi, and already I’ve found myself checking the numbers every couple of hours. I’ve never really thought about “steps” before, but it turns out they really do add up! Our pedometers have a cool function that lets us view either the amount of steps we’ve taken, or the mileage we’ve tracked. I’ve walked almost a mile today – not bad!

The information packet we received with our pedometers & instructions also listed some additional benefits of a 30 minute brisk walk.

Did you know that just half an hour of walking per day can…
– Help control weight
– Lower cholesterol
– Decrease your risk of a heart attack
– Decrease your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes
– Reduce the likelihood of serious health issues down the road
– Promote overall sense of well being

Remember though, if you’re thinking of starting a walking routine, or any type of exercise regimen, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider first to make sure that you’re in good health. If you’d like to learn more about fun fitness activities that you can do on your own or with a friend, check out the Wellness 101 curriculum on our website.

Wish us luck on our 10 week walking challenge! : )

-Amanda