Work-based strolls yield many benefits

Health, mental acuity, morale all can benefit

One minute of walking can add up to two minutes of life, and walking a mere 20 minutes a day can burn seven pounds of fat each year, according to America Walks, a coalition of advocacy groups.

Because of walking’s health benefits and stress reduction, many businesses have made it an integral part of their wellness programs.

“It is the fundamental piece for people,” said Michael Samuelson, vice president of health and wellness services for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. “Once you put your body in motion, you are seeking out other ways to better your health. When you see the stress-management element of walking, you think about other ways to de-stress. But at first, it’s just about getting some pleasure from moving your body.”

The insurer not only uses walking to promote wellness, it has taught at least 300 other companies to do the same.

“We provide our clients with a basic book on walking and the guidelines of pacing, hydration and stretching,” Samuelson said. “The whole idea is to get people moving. The benefit to the organization is weight loss, stress management and overall fitness, and it doesn’t require any expenses to get going. A good pair of shoes and a basic understanding [of walking guidelines] is all you need.”

“Worksite wellness has had a huge boom,” said JoAnna Williams, a promotions specialist at the R.I. Department of Health. “Walking can increase productivity, and companies see it as something they should encourage. It is the easiest and lowest-cost way for a company to promote physical activity, so I think many of them put walking first and foremost.”

Brown University is one organization that strongly promotes walking for its employees and the general public.

“It’s a huge de-stresser, and aside from maintaining weight, it makes one feel a lot better,” said Nancy Cassidy Grossman, senior research interviewer and assistant in the Bio Med Gerontology department at Brown. “It actually relieves fatigue … taking a 30-minute or an hour walk or breaking it up into three 10-minute walks is a good way to keep your body going.”

Almost anyone can participate.

“As you get older, you find it doesn’t take a lot of time or equipment, and in terms of joints, it doesn’t cause the trauma of pounding that can occur with other activities, like jogging or soccer,” Samuelson said. “Walking is something you can do into your 70s and 80s.”

Samuelson, recently traveled to Kilimanjaro, in Africa, where he climbed the continent’s highest peak. “At 58, it’s one of those things you can do, if you just train and pace yourself,” he said. “In addition to exercise, walking is a wonderful way to de-stress and reflect. With Kilimanjaro, for me, it was one step at a time and enjoying the journey, not just the destination.”

Usually, his goals for others are far simpler. “We talk to people about parking their car further away,” he said. “And when you’re on an escalator, there’s no reason you have to stand still.”

To help get people moving, Blue Cross Blue Shield sponsors Walk Rhode Island.

“Walk RI gives people a way to get out there. in a very noncompetitive way, and to launch for many people the idea that exercise is enjoyable,” Samuelson said. “We do a lot of walks for causes, but this walk is just to stretch their legs, enjoy the camaraderie of others and to enjoy our state. Last year, we had 1,500 walkers.”

The event, offering two-, five- and 10-mile options, this year will be Sept. 9, at Colt State Park in Bristol.

“We have participated in Walk Rhode Island for a number of years,” said Brown’s Cassidy Grossman. “Last year, we had the largest number of walkers for any company.”

The advantages go beyond exercise, she said. “For one thing, you get to meet other people in the university that you otherwise might not have an opportunity to meet. It also forms an exercise bond, I guess you could call it, with other people, and you really get to see how many exercise enthusiasts are around.”

Williams, at the Health Department, also mentioned networking. “We found it helpful for senior managers … to walk with the employees. It’s a chance to get the senior-level managers’ ears and it gives quality time that boosts the morale.”

“Not only is it getting people well,” she said, “but it fosters that team mentality that people need.”

“We see wonderful results,” Samuelson said. “At AAA, they walked more than 10,000 miles in a year or less.”

ONLINE RESOURCES

Existing walking clubs:

• Walk the Rhode to Health, a program of a coalition led by the R.I. Dept. of Health (www.health.ri.gov), offers information and free monthly walks at member hospitals. For walk times and places, prizes you can win just by walking, and more, see the program home page.

• Walk Rhode Island Walking Club is an informal community program led by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (www.bcbsri.com), for members and non-members. In addition to the annual Walk Rhode Island – a family-friendly 2-, 5- and 10-mile event, to be held this year at Colt State Park in Bristol on Sept. 9 – it also plans free monthly walks, about 45 minutes long.

Tips on walking and walking programs:

• Blackstone Massage Therapy Center (www.blackstonemassage.com) on Providence’s East Side discusses how and why to start a walking program, in a Web page entitled Walking for Better Health.

• Providence Health Systems offers “healthwise” tips on how to get walking and stay motivated under two categories, Wellness Walking and Fitness Walking.

Where to walk in Rhode Island:

• The Audubon Society of Rhode Island (www.asri.org) offers trail mapsand other information for 11 refuges.

• The R.I. Department of Health has mapped walking paths at sites across the state, as part of its Walk the Rhode to Health initiative. Maps and other information are available online, under the heading Paths to Health.

• Walk Rhode Island offers an exhaustive listing of sites – from pedestrian-friendly streets to state and city parks – entitled Walking Resources (the listing is in pdf form).