Walking - It's good for your Heart

I have always been a pretty active person. Between dancing, sports and other activities, I haven't had to stop and think about making myself exercise. Now that I'm older and I have an 8 to 5 "desk job" it's becoming more and more critical that I find time to fit in a little exercise.

Before I got pregnant, I made exercise a part of my daily routine. After work I would either jog a few miles on the treadmill or go for 30-45 minutes on the elliptical. Now that I am pregnant, it's just as important (if not more) for me to exercise daily. With the added weight from the baby and the constant tiredness, I have - quiet honestly - become lazy. Everything I do is more difficult, therefore the motivation is lacking. I have found that when I do exercise, I have more energy and sleep better, so it seems like a no-brainer to just exercise. But, my lazy bones win out more times than not!

Now that I'm in the final stage of my pregnancy, I've noticed that my legs are starting to cramp from sitting a majority of my day - and I'm getting some swelling in my feet. Since I was never lacking for activity/exercise, I never realized the importance of it and - probably - took it for granted. I read an article titled "Get up and Move! Sitting Raises Health Risks". I didn't realize that sitting for long periods can increase risk for type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases by over 100% (visit

http://walking.about.com/b/2012/10/16/get-up-and-move-sitting-raises-health-risks.htm for the full article). I have found that walking for just 20 minutes, a couple of times a day, is helping to bring back some of my energy - as well as cut down on the swelling and cramps - and hopefully will help cut down on more serious health risks.

Lucky for me, I have an awesome supervisor who has been flexible about what I need to do during my pregnancy and supportive co-workers. Because I know that once I get home, I'm not going to exercise (and if I actually do, I consider that a bonus), I'm trying to make time during my breaks at work to be productive (and, to be honest, I'm now paranoid about the added health risks of sitting all day). One co-worker has agreed to walk with me twice a day and I'm thankful for the walking partner. Having a walking buddy gives me extra motivation and holds me accountable.

Websites on tips for Walking at Work
http://www.washingtonwalking.org/docs/Walking_at_Work.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/action/actiongetting.html

I encourage anybody - especially those who sit a majority of the day - to get up and move! Even if it's for only 15 minutes a day, just get out and walk. "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks" - John Muir

Other Interesting Walking Sites
www.thewalkingsite.com
www.americawalks.org
www.makingstrideswalk.org

I bet you didn't know...

The American Heart Association has a National Walking Day on the first Wednesday in April every year. Mark your calendars for April 3, 2013 and visit http://www.startwalkingnow.org/about_start_walking_day.jsp for more information on how to get your FREE tool kit.