Watertown Walks!
Join us for Watertown Walks monthly group walk to promote walking for fun, fitness and a healthier community. New participants will receive a pedometer, information about how to increase physical activity in your daily life, and notices about upcoming WCES events.
Come prepared to walk - wear comfortable shoes, carry water, and bring a friend!
For additional information, contact Watertown Walks! or call 617-926-0726.
Watertown Walks! is a community-based program to promote walking for a healthier and safer community. The program is sponsored by WCES Environmental Task Force and is funded by the Watertown Harvard/O'Neill Community Foundation. This website contains information about monthly group walking events, walking tips, and information about nutrition and terrific places to walk. Use the links below to find your favorite topics.
| Special Notices | Coach's Corner |
| Did you know… | Gear heads |
| Nutritional Nuggets | Places to Walk |
| Feedback/Suggestions | Walking Links |
Special Notices
Track Your Steps
Now that we are all walking, let's keep track of this so we can brag
about it later. The America on the Move web site provides a tool for you
to track your steps. We'll provide periodic updates on how much we are
walking!
Use the following group code so that you are registered as part of the Watertown Walks group.
- Log onto www.americaonthemove.org web site
- Click the "Join Now" option
- Select "Individual" registration
- Use registration code: RWA31304
- Finish registering
To log in to record steps: From the www.americonthemove.org home page, sign in on the left side of the page. Use the email or user name you entered when you registered, along with your password. This will bring you to your page. Use the “Record your Progress” section on the right side of the screen to enter your steps.By logging on daily and entering your steps walked that day, we will be able to track our progress as a group.
Coach's Corner
When you walk, your ankle joint gets a workout. First, your toes lift as you take a step forward and your heel hits the pavement. The muscle that does this is the anterior tibialis in your shin. Then you roll from your heel to the ball of your foot and your toes. As you push off to take another step, your calf muscle pulls your heel up. All of this movement is possible because your ankle can bend forward (dorsi flexion) and backward (plantar flexion). In addition, we can rotate our ankles in circles.
Since our ankle joint is so important to our ability to walk, it's important to warm up and stretch the major muscles that affect its movement. This month we begin with the anterior tibialis in your shin.
Stretching
"Tracing the Alphabet" Warmup
This is an easy warmup that helps to prevent shin pain. Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Lift your right foot and, turning from the ankle, trace the letters of the alphabet with your foot. Be sure to move just your ankle and foot, not your leg. When you complete the alphabet with your right foot, do the same with your left. You will be surprised at how effective this simple exercise is.
Seated Shin Stretch
This is an effective stretch for overworked shins and you can do it after a long walk or anytime your shins feel sore. Begin by kneeling on grass or carpet with your legs folded directly under your thighs and your shoe laces on the ground. Use one hand to support your weight and the other to lift one knee. You will feel a gentle stretch in the shin of the leg that's lifted. Hold the stretch for 20 - 30 seconds, then switch legs.Standing Shin Stretch
Balance yourself at a pole or wall with your weight on one foot. Touch your other foot to the ground toe first, and then pull your foot forward just to the point where it is about to move. Hold it there for 20-30 seconds. You should feel the shin muscles elongate and loosen up. IMPROPER FORM: Do not rest on your toes as shown in the picture at the right.
Did you know . . .
Getting rid of Deep Abdominal Fat
The fat that contributes to diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease accumulates around abdominal organs at a pretty fast rate but can be reduced via regular exercise.
A study of overweight, sedentary adults published in the October 2005 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that brisk walking can help you hold the line on the accumulation of deep abdominal fat, as long as the total time you spend walking adds up to at least three hours per week. The study also showed that to reduce deep abdominal fat, three hours of brisk walking worked as well as two hours of more vigorous exercise.
Study participants who performed various types of exercise gained no additional abdominal fat, but participants who didn’t exercise at all registered a nine percent gain in abdominal fat over six months, reported researchers at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. Those in the study who got the most exercise – the equivalent of jogging 20 miles per week – lost both deep abdominal fat and more visible layers of fat. (Source: News from Sport and Health-Gateway)
For You Gearheads!
One of the most important pieces of walking gear is a water bottle, and this is especially true during the summer months when it is hot. Avoid carrying your water bottle in your hand, because its weight will unbalance your stride and you want your arms to swing freely as you move. Instead, place the bottle in a waist belt designed for this purpose or put it into a fanny pack. If you take long walks, you can also consider a hydration system such as a CamelBack.
On the other hand, there are some items that just aren't helpful. For more, please see this informative article about walking gear that is not recommended.
Nutritional Nuggets
Walking Before Breakfast
If you walk first thing in the morning before you eat breakfast, it has typically been 10+ hours since your last meal. This means that while you were getting a good nights sleep, your body was busy using up its energy stores and it thought you were fasting. Consequently, your energy stores are depleted and you need to replenish them so that you will have adequate fuel for your walk. You don't have to eat a lot; consider eating a banana, orange, or other piece of fruit. A granola bar will also do the trick.
Places to Walk
As Watertown residents, we are extremely fortunate to have a tremendous recreational asset in the Charles River. The river provides a wonderful place to walk where you can enjoy the changing scenery of wildlife, water sports activities and lovely scenery. We have over 10 miles of accessible river paths right here in Watertown. For an interesting history of the Charles River, visit the Charles River Watershed Association website. Please tell us about your favorite places to walk by sending us an email.
Feedback and Suggestions
To make Watertown Walks! a success we need your feedback and suggestions.
Be an active participant by not only walking but by letting us know what you would like from the program. Send us an email or call Mari Ryan at 617-926-0726.
Walking Links
The following links provide general information on walking-related topics:
America On the Move is a national initiative dedicated to helping individuals and communities across our nation make positive changes to improve health and quality of life. By focusing on individuals and communities AOM strives to support healthy eating and active living habits in our society.
WalkBoston is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving walking conditions in cities and towns across Massachusetts. Founded in 1990, our goal is to make walking and pedestrian needs a basic part of the transportation discussion.
Explore Boston's rich heritage of architecture and history in the company of dedicated and enthusiastic guides--all graduates of Boston By Foot's highly acclaimed training program.
This PBS television show is hosted by Boston area walking expert Mark Fenton. Mark Fenton highlights great walking destinations across the country, provides advice on food and nutrition, presents tips on the best fitness apparel, and features the inspirational stories of individuals who have seen their lives transformed by simply walking.
America Walks is a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities. Our members are autonomous grassroots organizations from across the country, each working to improve conditions for walking in their area.
NEW ENGLAND WALKERS (NEW) is organized to promote walking as recreation, as healthful exercise, and as a competitive sport. The New England Walkers conducts clinics, semi-organized training walks, hikes, and races. Our clinics and programs are tailored for the average person.