WOMAN Challenge Day 4 and 5
Both yesterday and today I forgot to put my pedometer on! But - I walked on a treadmill for 40 minutes both days. I think that counts for something!
I forget it because if I leave it in an obvious place for me to find it in the morning, then it is in a place that the cats will most likely find it at too. And I doubt at that point that it will be functional.
I’ll have to leave it somewhere else - I might miss a few steps with it though.
May 13, 2008
Exercise for your heart with WOMAN Challenge
For National Women’s Health Week I want to focus on things you can do to prevent illness and stay healthy - or even reverse some health problems you already have. Today - the topic is cardiovascular exercise.
Cardiovascular exercise - also known as aerobic exercise - is important for heart health. It is exercise that uses your large muscles like your legs and makes your heart and lungs stronger and can help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Walking, running, jogging, bicycling, jump-roping, and swimming are all examples of cardiovascular exercises you can do outside. If you want (or have to) exercise inside using a treadmill, stationary bicycles or elliptical trainer are some options.
To give your heart a good workout you need to make sure that you do your cardiovacular exercise with a certain amount of intensity, but you don’t want to overdo it. One way measure the amount of exertion while exercising is by monitoring your heart rate. Some people check their heart rate manually and some people use a heart rate monitor. I use a heart rate monitor while using a treadmill when I exercise.
At any rate research has shown that people who are in general more active throughout their life tend to be healthier and live longer. The Surgeon General recommends that people should get 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. And for most people that is around 10,000 steps.
The WOMAN Challenge (Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation) is a program coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. As I mentioned in previous posts the goal of the challenge is to walk 10,000 steps or exercise for 30 minutes each day. The Challenge is an 8 week thing that started on Mother’s Day.
I decided to take the challenge! Its only been 2 days so far though - and I have been away from home so I have not done so well yet! Monday, for example, I only did about 1800 steps. But then I spend part of the day in a car driving so I should be able to do better tomorrow!
The Challenge has virtual teams so people can encourage and support each other - if you want to join my team follow these instructions:
First you have to register at the site, then go to ‘Find a Team to Join‘ , then scroll down to Missouri, click and then choose the “Ideas For Women .com” team.
For more information about walking 10,000 steps a day here are a few good links I found:
How many steps do you walk each day?
Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?
The 20% Boost Program: Fit Walking into Your Life - The realistic way to build up to 10,000 steps a day
May 12, 2008
National Women’s Health Week and WOMAN Challenge
Since this is National Women’s Health Week I’m going to make some of my posts related to it this week.
I decided to try the ‘WOMAN Challenge’ too! I mentioned this in my last post. The goal or ‘challenge’ is to try to walk 10,000 steps or get 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. It lasts for 8 weeks. And you ‘walk’ a virtual path across the U.S. as you do it.
It was supposed to start Sunday, on Mother’s Day, but since I was out of town visiting I wasn’t able to walk much. I did get out my pedometer and got it working right (I hadn’t really used it yet although I’ve had it for a while). As it was later in the day I was only able to get about 800 steps counted on it. That should make it easier to improve over the next 8 weeks!
The Challenge has teams that people can join for support and encourage each other. I started a team and if you want to join it either contact me and I will add you or here are the instructions to join it yourself:
First you have to register at the site, then go to ‘Find a Team to Join‘ , then scroll down to Missouri, click and then choose the “Ideas For Women .com” team.
I’ll be posting my progress with it here too. Hopefully I won’t embarrass myself too much!
