On Thursday morning, I had a fun, informative conversation with Mark Fenton, one of America’s foremost “experts” on walking. Why? As a city mom, I walk a lot out of necessity but I also wanted to know the benefits of walking overall. It turns out that there are many. In addition to being a great way to lose weight/burn calories, daily physical activity (like walking) has been shown to have several long term health benefits. Reducing cardiovascular disease, helping to manage Type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of breast cancer are three. In addition to the physical benefits, exercise also helps with mental health. That makes sense to me. I definitely feel better prepared to face the day when I start off with some physical exercise. It helps to clear my head.
In addition to educating the public on the benefits of walking, Mark is working with Nintendo to let people know how their new Personal Trainer™: Walking DS game can be a part of their active lifestyles. (I’m excited that one lucky Mom in the City reader will be receiving a copy of this fitness game.) Mark, who is the author of several books including Pedometer Walking and Walking Through Pregnancy and Beyond, had some interesting insights after having used the DS game with his own family (and pet!).
1. It is recommended that adults take 10,000 steps a day/30 minutes of physical activity. Kids need even more that that (15,000 steps/1 hour of physical activity). Since the DS game comes with a pedometer, it helps users keep track of their activity in a computerized log. Mark especially liked that you didn’t have to download the activity meter every day (in case you can’t get to it). Rather, the game will hold up to seven days of information.
2. The fact that the system keeps records is especially helpful. It allows the user to see their daily rhythms / where they fluctuate, so that they can make more conscious fitness decisions. Studies show that seeing patterns and keeping records helps people to make more physically active choices. It was interesting to note that people assume that they are more active / busier on the weekends, but that’s usually not the norm.
3. The earlier that you can get kids involved in daily physical activity – unstructured as well as structured – the better. (You can find current physical activity guidelines at www.health.gov/paguidelines.) The DS game makes walking more fun for them, because it turns it into a game. It compares the users to various animals (i.e. galloping horses) as it monitors their workout time. Kids can also act as if they’re walking around the world, because the game has a globe that allows the users to unlock information (i.e. regarding blue whales) as they accumulate time.
4. When I asked if there were any specific precautions that moms should take into consideration while walking during warmer weather (i.e. in the summer), sun protection and hydration were the answers. In regards to sun protection, adults should be sure to wear hats and UV protected clothing as well as sunscreen. It’s equally important to remember to protect children from the sun. Sun shades on strollers in addition to other sun protection are helpful. As far as hydration, water is the best for most people. The calories in sports drinks are usually only necessary if you’re a serious athlete/training for 2+ hours at a time. For the majority of us, it’s good to aim at drinking eight ounces of water every 15 minutes or so (more if you’re a heavy sweater).
I found my time speaking with Mark Fenton to be very useful. In addition to all of his walking credentials, I could tell that he was a devoted husband and dad. From speaking well of his wife’s sacrifices to be a stay at home mom to sharing about learning about his kid’s school day on walks home from school, I was impressed. Most of all, I really like that Mark mixes his avocation (his hobby is race walking) with his vocation (promoting health causes, especially walking and bicycling). That’s always inspiring.
Here’s the fun part: one lucky Mom in the City reader will get the chance to experience the DS game ($49.99 value).
To win the fitness game, please share your favorite aspect of the Personal Trainer™: Walking DS game in the “Comments” section below by Friday, July 31st at noon.
For additional entries:
1. Link to this giveaway post on your blog.
2. Follow me on twitter or friend me on Facebook.
3. Leave a comment on any of my other (non- giveaway) posts until July 31st.
Good luck!
