Hosted by LWSC & Kaiser Permanente
LWSC has teamed up with Kaiser Permanente to host a walking campaign to increase the overall health of our members. 100 members will have the opportunity to participate in a 6-week program, with bi-weekly milestones, in order to accumulate 12,000 steps per week!
We all know that walking aids in weight loss and improves circulation, but did you know about the many other benefits?
- Walking slows mental decline. A study of 6,000 women, ages 65 and older, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. The women walking 2.5 miles per day had a 17% decline in memory, as opposed to a 25-percent decline in women who walked less than a half-mile per week.
- Walking lowers Alzheimer’s risk. Men between the ages of 71 and 93 who walk more than a quarter mile per day had half the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who walk less.
- Walking improves your breath. When walking, your breathing rate increases, causing oxygen to travel faster through the bloodstream, helping to eliminate waste products and improve your energy level and the ability to heal.
- Walking improves sleep. Those ages 50 to 75, who take one-hour morning walks, are more likely to relieve insomnia than those who don’t walk.
- Walking lightens mood. The more steps people took during the day, the better their moods are. Why? Walking releases natural painkilling endorphins to the body – one of the emotional benefits of exercise.
Program Schedule
The program will kick-off on Wednesday, August 10th at noon with a party for the first 100 members to sign up. Participants will receive a “Take a Walk” kit, complete with a Kaiser Permanente pedometer to track your steps. The program will begin on Wednesday, August 17th.
Week 2: Progress Party – Wednesday, August 31st at noon. Participants who met the goal will receive a keychain and be entered into a drawing to win $25 gift cards.
Week 4: Progress Party – Wednesday, September 14th at noon. Participants who met the goal will receive a stress reliever squeeze star and be entered into a drawing to win $25 gift cards.
Week 6: Campaign Wrap Party and Final Awards Ceremony – Wednesday, September 28th at noon. All participants who met the goal at the end of the campaign will receive a special prize and be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card.
Do we walk every day or every Wednesday? Do we walk together as a group and where are we walking? I’m arranging my calendar and need to know.
Thank you so much,
Jackie Josey