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By Cari Haus On March 6, 2009
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Health benefits of walking and other regular exercise:
* Reduces heart disease and cancer risk
* Benefits HDL Cholesterol Levels
* Improves the chances of successfully stopping smoking
* Boosts your immune system and energy levels
* Benefits mental health and well being
* Improves your ability to handle stress
* Helps reduce anxiety and depression
* Reduces muscle tension, heart rate, and some stress hormone levels.
“For most people the very best exercise is brisk walking.” –Neil Nedley, Proof Positive p. 409
By Cari Haus On March 6, 2009
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Even if the government raises the price of a pack of cigarettes to 30 dollars, smokers will still find a way to cough it up.
Doctors tell us there are over seven million people who are overweight. These, of course, are only round figures.
The band was just getting under way when a large insect flew into the room. The highschoolers, eager to get ready for the first football game, tried to ignore the buzzing intruder, but eventually one student, Little Johnny, could stand it no more. He rolled up his music book and swatted the insect, and then he stomped on it to ensure its fate. Is it a bee?” Another student asked. “Nope,” Johnny replied. “Bee flat.”
By Cari Haus On March 6, 2009
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“Walking is man’s best exercise.” –Hippocrates
“An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” –Henry David Thoreau
“The more we exercise, the better will be the circulation of the blood. More people die for want of exercise than through over fatigue; very many more rust out than wear out. Those who accustom themselves to proper exercise in the open air will generally have a good and vigorous circulation.” –Ellen White
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” –Edward Stanley
“Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.”
By Carla On March 5, 2009
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Check out more Maxine at Maxine.com
By Carla On March 4, 2009
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Lori Mueller struggled with her weight for the past 15 years. She writes, “The weight just kept creeping on. I was so unhappy and tired. I continued to eat unhealthy and just felt terrible. My weight was taking a toll and I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack. At only 5 feet, I was morbidly obese.
On January 2, 2008 I started a life change. I began my plan of action by keeping a journal of everything I ate. Then I started to exercise- they were Leslie Sansone’s videos which I purchased years earlier. I started out slow- and lost about 3 pounds a week. I found Leslie’s workouts to be awesome (4 Steps – who knew it would be that easy!)
I now have friends, family and coworkers that tell me how I have inspired them into wanting a healthier life. I have never felt better! I truly believe that I am physically, mentally and spiritually in the best phase 
of my life. I look forward to working out every day with Leslie.
The rewards of my weight loss get better and better every day- my energy just seems endless! When people ask me what diet I’m on- my answer is always the same- I’m not on a diet - I workout to Leslie Sansone’s DVD’s every day in my living room! Yup, it’s that easy!
Thanks to Leslie for doing what she does!”
~ Lori Mueller
Start Weight: 222.5lbs.
End Weight: 130lbs.
To read more inspirational stories such as Lori’s be sure to check out Walk at Home.
By Cari Haus On March 3, 2009
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Walk-a-thons, which first took off in American in 1969, are a great way to raise money—and awareness—for a worthy cause. Walk-a-thons, which are usually staged as community events, most often focus on raising funds for issues that affect a large segment of the population. Issues such as AIDS, cancer, diabetes, lupus, weight loss, and arthritis have all been beneficiaries of walk-a-thon funding.
Because walk-a-thons are non-competitive and low-intensity, many people can participate. That’s perfect for many causes, where the organizer’s want to generate broad, community-based support.
Organizing a walk-a-thon involves a bit of elbow grease, especially if you desire publicity and community-wide participation. If there’s a walk-a-thon in your future, start by organizing a steering committee and choosing a chair-person for the event. This will be a big job, so be sure to get plenty of help.
Staff you will need include:
Traffic control coordinator: To plan the route, recruit traffic control volunteers to manage the route, obtain any needed permits, secure walkie talkies, contact the police and any other city officials, mark the route with traffic cones and tape. Your traffic control organizer should also obtain orange vests for all volunteers along the route (these will usually be available through either your fire or county road department). The traffic control coordinator should also ask the local EMS to standby during the walk-a-thon. Most EMS services will do this free of charge.
Judges: This is especially important if your walk involves a race. The longer the race-walk, the more critical the need for judges. Judges should be stationed at set intervals, making sure that those who say they walked really did, by recording those who pass by the checkpoint. Though it seems far-fetched, there are those who will try to hop in a car for part of the race. This undermines the integrity of the walk for those who participated fairly, and could jeopardize participation in future walks. Stationing judges along the way, particularly if the walk is a race, should help to alleviate that problem.
Hospitality coordinators: This will be your “home base,” a place where the walk begins and ends. A tent, tables, chairs, and refreshments will be needed. You may provide bottled water, or even sell Gatorade or other snacks. Your hospitality coordinators will oversee this area, which should be a pleasant place where people will want to gather. You may even provide music or other entertainment, or a leader board showing who is ahead in the race.
Public relations coordinator: This person will be in charge of publicizing the walk-a-thon in the first place. They may contact businesses, write press releases, coordinate radio ads, or recruit various organizations to participate in the walk-a-thon. Other functions the PR coordinator organizes include providing recognition to volunteers, arranging for an announcer, giving red carpet treatment to any dignitaries who take part, and obtaining and hanging banners from organizations or businesses sponsoring the event.
The PR coordinator is one of the most important jobs for the event, and should be given to person of energy and commitment. Start promoting the walk-a-thon to the local chamber of commerce and other civic groups 8-12 months ahead of the event, so they can put it into their calendars. 4-5 months before the walk-a-thon is a good time to start making announcements at local civic organizations and schools. Begin contact the radio stations, TV stations, and local newspapers in the 3-5 months leading up to your walk-a-thon. Ask these media outlets to be sponsors, or for free advertising (which they often give to good causes).
Prize coordinator: Responsible for asking local or national businesses to provide door prizes, awards, certificates and gifts to be given away, and also for organizing the awarding of those items at the “home base,” when the walk-a-thon is over. The prize coordinator could also order T-shirts for the event: those for participants, those for event staff (which may have a special “staff” designation on the sleeve, and those to be given away as prizes).
Registration coordinator: This person registers people as they enter the race, hands out T-shirts to participants as they arrive, and coordinates door prizes and other recognition with the prize coordinator. They are also in charge of accounting for the event, collecting money from registrants and sponsors and reporting on the amount raised at the event. The registration coordinator also helps to set-up a computer database of participants, and mails pledge forms out to the appropriate walk-a-thon sponors.
Last Minute Details
In the final weeks leading up to the walk, Walk-a-thon volunteers should attend weekly meetings to iron out the details. Publicity should be in full swing, and the walk-a-thon chair should be doing media interviews in this regard. Registered walkers should be reminded by mail and e-mail, and encouraged to double their sponsors. Send out one more e-mail in the days leading up to the race, with words of encouragement from the event chair and final walk-a-thon related instructions. Advertise a good breakfast for helpers who arrive 2 hours early.
At The Race
Your staff (a combination of hospitality, prize, and/or registration) should be greeting helpers and participants alike as they arrive, giving them the appropriate T-shirts. To keep things upbeat and exciting, you could have some music playing, or lots of announcements. Have the door prizes out where people can see them, and have a good time!
After The Race
Thank everyone who walked, helped, sponsored, or donated, and thank them profusely. Then start planning for the next year!
By Cari Haus On March 2, 2009
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Here are some great quotes about walking we chose for your reading (and walking!) pleasure:
Today I have grown taller from WALKING with the trees. Karl Baker
The heights charm us, but the steps do not; with the mountain in our view we love to walk the plains. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
To lead people walk behind them. Lao-Tzu
In WALKING, the will and the muscles are so accustomed to working together and performing their task with so little expenditure of force that the intellect is left comparatively free. Oliver Wendell Holmes
The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has. Alan Ashley-Pitt
Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow; Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead; Walk beside me, and just be my friend. Albert Camus
Not to go back is somewhat to advance, and men must walk, at least, before they dance. Alexander Pope
Never criticize a man until you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins. American Indian Proverb
We reform others unconsciously when we walk uprightly. Anne Sophie Swetchine
I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk. Anthony Robbins
As you walk down the fairway of life you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round. Ben Hogan
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [Psalm 23:4]
Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself. Chinese Proverb
A pedestrian is a man in danger of his life. A walker is a man in possession of his soul. David Mccord
By Cari Haus On March 2, 2009
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It’s easy to see why this pedometer is rated #1 by Consumer Reports. Extremely light weight, it is just as easy to use. If you don’t want it attached to your waist, not a problem. It can count steps just as accurately in your belt, pant pocket, or even in your purse!
The display is nice and large—a nice feature for the visually impaired. It calculates calories and distance (in addition to steps), and it can even show seven day’s history. At midnight it automatically stores the day’s data and resets to zero.
The Sportline 330 is a rugged, accurate, and inexpensive step counter.
This particular Omron model rises above the field because of one thing: quality. It’s accurate, it’s easy and fast. It’s also dependable (if not indestructible).Some users who have inadvertently dropped it into the wash—or tub- were pleasantly surprised to find that it just kept on working.
This pedometer dangles from a teacher, so even if the clip slips off your waistband, the pedometer doesn’t bounce off the floor.
You won’t have to change much to bump up your number of daily steps, and this pedometer can help you track progress. Try parking on the other side of the parking lot at the grocery store, walking the cart back into the store (not just to the buggy corral), or getting off the bus one stop early. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the dog each night (he or she will love you for it), and go outside in the sunshine for lunch (instead of sitting in your office). Little extra steps like these, taken all day long, really do add up.
Walking is great exercise and it couldn’t be more simple! Unlike swimming or going to the gym, all you have to do is walk out the door. A pedometer can help you stay motivated, and remind you that you need to walk, walk, and when you are done with that, walk some more!
By Cari Haus On February 28, 2009
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Have you ever wondered how far Jesus walked while on this earth? I’ve heard it said that Jesus walked an average of 20-25 miles per day during his ministry. I don’t know if that’s true, but here is a brief summary of the miles we do know about:
• Although Jesus was probably carried to Egypt by his parents as an infant, He most likely walked when they returned to his native land. Estimated distance: 400 miles
• Every devout Jewish male went to Jerusalem three times per year to attend religious festivals. Since Jesus lived in Nazareth, that would have been a 240 mile round trip, three times per year. Between the ages of 5 and 30, then, Jesus would have walked 18,000 miles in trips to Jerusalem alone (3 x 240 x 25)
• At the start of His ministry, Jesus went to be baptized in the wilderness of Judea. He then went to Galilee and was in Capernaum and Cana. This would have been a round trip of at least 240 miles.
• Jesus then went from Galilee to Jerusalem, then returned to Galilee (another 240 miles)
• After returning to Jerusalem, Jesus again went to Galilee (another 240 miles) (John 5:1-47). Jesus is next again in Jerusalem for the ‘Feast of Booths’ (John 7:2) and back for another 240 miles. There is the ‘Feast of Dedication’ that Jesus attended for another round trip of 240 miles. Then Jesus does a final walk from Galilee to Jerusalem to be crucified. (Luke 17:11) This is 120 miles. As a devout Jew, Jesus would have made at least 9 trips to Jerusalem and return during His ministry. Five of those trips are mentioned in the Bible, and four are not. Therefore one must add the additional four trips for a total of 240 miles x 4 = 960 miles. So the total miles from Nazareth or Capernaum to Jerusalem and return would be 2,280 miles during Jesus’ 3 year ministry.
• The Bible mentions other trips that Jesus went on as well. He made one circuit trip from Capernaum to Cana and Nazareth and return. (60 miles) John 2 1-11. He also made a circuit trip to Nain and returned to Capernaum. (70 miles) Luke 7:11.
• A number of other trips Jesus took are mentioned in the Bible, and those who have calculated the total mileage of Jesus during His public ministry (for trips alone) estimate it to be about 3,125 miles.
So the grand total of miles Jesus walked in His 33 years on earth while traveling on trips would be 21,525 miles:
• 400 miles from Egypt to Nazareth.
• 18,000 miles from Nazareth to Jerusalem and back by age 30.
• 3,125 miles during His 3-year public Ministry.
And the above mileage estimate is really quite conservative, for the Bible tells us that “there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25) The Bible also tells us on more than one occasion that He “taught and healed” in the cities roundabout, so it seems safe to say that Jesus walked many more miles than those specifically recorded in the Bible.
Most likely He taught, preached, healed and ministered in more places than those listed in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Historians tell us that the average American walked 11 miles per day in the early 1900’s. Given the many travels of Jesus, both to feast days and in His public ministry, it seems safe to assume that He could easily have walked an average of 15-25 miles per day.
So what does this mean to us? Well, if we want to follow in His footsteps we certainly have something to think about! While 10, 15, or 20 miles per day is unrealistic for most of us, we could step it up quite a bit—and when we do, we will be following the example of Jesus—as well as improving our health.
By Cari Haus On February 27, 2009
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After the crash-and-burn experience of two failed office treadmill attempts, I’m happy to report that I actually have a reliable, quiet treadmill set-up with a laptop table gracing the top.
I would love to have one of those expensive Steel Case treadmill desks, or a Tread Desk. It wasn’t in the budget at the moment, however, so I did the next best thing: rigged up my own. The desk part itself cost nothing, just an hour of time in cutting some boards (found in the garage) and screwing them together. The result is handy little wood caddy that sits on top of the treadmill’s side bars and supports my laptop. I’d like a larger table, and will probably build one on top in the next week or two. But this is fine for now, and I’m elated that I can finally get started walking while working.
In spite of this incredible progress, I’m sorry to report that I won’t be getting started on my laptop-treadmill combo tonight. Guess building the little table kind of wore me out. Not to worry, though. Tomorrow is another day, and my poorwoman’s treadmill desk is right there waiting for me, all set-up and ready to go.
