COMMUNITY - Walk For Your Health

I see a lot of neighbors out walking at various times of the day.  I was curious about how many steps it would take to walk around the whole community from beginning to end.  Not having a Fitbit to count for me, I asked neighbor Brian Schneeberger if he knew.  I was quite surprised by his answer.

“I usually pay more attention to miles and fractions of miles than steps.  If I cover all of Weston Ave and go to the end of all driveways the distance is about one mile.”

– Brian Schneeberger

Step counts can vary a bit by a person’s height and stride, but on average there are about 2,000 steps per mile. 

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One or two walks around the LP community is a good way to stay active, improve your mood, walk off a morning donut, strengthen weak knees or hips, and in general improve our overall health.  You do not need a pedometer or smart watch to count steps unless you want to track your efforts.  You do not need to be preparing for a marathon, walk it all at once or keep up with others.  You just need to start and keep moving.  

If you are not sure you can make the walk all the way around the community, know that there are

periodic benches and rocks large enough to sit on along the way.  If you've had knee or hip issues or surgery, and are worried about balance, a cane or walking poles (similar to those used for skiing) are easy to find in pharmacies, sporting goods stores, and on Amazon.  They are relatively inexpensive and work well.  If you need a walker, you are still walking, putting in the steps, and have a place to rest as you need it.

Like company while you walk? Ask a neighbor or friend to come along--or post it on the Bulletin Board (or in comments below) that you are looking for someone to walk with.  Walking with a group is a good way to catch up with each other and can be encouraging too.  The hardest part is taking the first step. Getting into a routine of keeping it up takes a commitment to your health and it does get easier every time you get out to do it.

On days with bad weather, there are places to walk indoors too.  The Crossroads Mall has regular walkers that walk the whole mall—inside and out.  The YMCAs in Kalamazoo and Portage have indoor tracks that you can walk around—and they have programs for Seniors with free or reduced membership rates.