National Walking Day is April 5th

Walk Your Way to a Healthier Life
Provided by the American Heart Association – Healthy for Good Campaign

You can get active in lots of ways, but walking is one of the easiest steps you can take to improve your health. It’s also one of the safest, least expensive and most sustainable forms of exercise. For such a simple activity, it has so many benefits!

Research has shown that walking at least 30 minutes a day can help you:

reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes
improve your blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels
prevent weight gain and lower the risk of obesity
improve your mental well-being
increase your energy and stamina
reduce your risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer and colon cancer

For every hour of brisk walking, life expectancy for some people may increase by two hours. The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
It’s not all or nothing; it’s step by step. Here are a few ways to get started.

Maybe you haven’t been active for a while. No problem. Just get started, even if it’s only a few minutes a day at first.
Set a reachable goal just for today. Then you can work toward your overall goal of 150 minutes a week or more as you get in better shape. Gradually increase your time or distance each week.
If it’s easier on your body and your schedule, you can split up your walks into 10 or 15 minutes each. Every step counts!

Even if you’re already active, here are some other ways you can add more steps into your day:

Take the dog out for a walk.
Take the kids to the park or playground.
Park farther from the entrance to your workplace, school, grocery store, restaurants, etc.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator, even if just for one or two floors.
Window shop at the mall or downtown.
Walk to a nearby restaurant for lunch instead of driving.
Catch up with a friend by walking around the block while you chat on the phone.

All you have to do is lace up with a comfortable pair of shoes and walk. It’s that easy!
Follow the Link to see more tips on how you can Move More.

Daily Tips to Help You Move More

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National Nutrition Month’s Break Room Challenge

March was National Nutrition Month an information campaign and nutrition education which is created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The theme for 2017 is “Put Your Best Fork Forward” which acts as a reminder that each bite counts.

The Break Room Challenge
In the March 6th issue of Sparky’s Notes Collins Electric issued a Break Room Challenge. Everyone was encouraged to team up with coworkers to schedule a healthy department potluck in March.
The HR/Payroll Department got together for a Department Salad Potluck and brought in ingredients to create a delicious Cobb Salad!
Pictured from left to right: Janet Ibarra, Karyn Nieman, Brie Niewald, Elaine Alcones, Sannying Vang and Sara Mailandt with photo credit to Susan Rodriguez

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