Employee Incentive Program

1. Pick up your pedometer for $7.00 at the fitness center (broken pedometers will be replaced at no charge).
2. Calibrate the pedometer to record how many miles you travel in a day while you walk around your office, your house or your neighborhood.
3. Start progressively adding steps to your daily routine.
4. The ideal number of steps for overall health is about 10,000 steps per day.
5. Make sure you wear the pedometer everyday. Weekends count, too!
6. At the end of the month, email your mileage to Berckly Cuevas

How does a Pedometer work?

• A pedometer multiplies the number of steps you take by the stride length you enter and then divides that number by 5,280 (the number of feet in a mile).
• Do not put a pedometer in your pocket.  It will not accurately record your steps in this location.
• A pedometer measures the vertical acceleration of your hip as you walk. It also measures things you do throughout your day such as bending to tie your shoes and going up and down stairs.

What is a step?

• A step is the distance from where you lift one foot off the ground to where you put it down again.
• To find your step length you have to measure the distance that is traveled forward by just one of your legs.
• To get an average step length you need to have taken at least ten steps before you start to measure one.

Walking Posture

• It is important that you are aware of your posture so that you can obtain the maximum benefit from walking.
• Do not walk with your head bent forward with your eyes gazing down.
• Walk with your chin up and your shoulders held slightly back with your feet pointed forward in the direction you are going.
• Imagine a cord attached to the top of your head (not your forehead) gently pulling your body straight.

Preventing Walking Injuries

• Proper footwear: Go to a real fit-expert and get the right shoes for YOUR feet.
• Stretching: Tight, cold muscles are a set-up for injury.  To prevent plantar fasciitis, roll your bare foot on a tennis or golf ball.
• Nutrition: Follow the food pyramid, eat a variety of foods and take a multi-vitamin.
• Ice: Always ice an injury or strain to keep inflammation from destroying tissue.
• Sleep: You need sleep to give your body time to build muscles and repair damage.
• Gradual changes in training: Increase your distance 10% a week. Don't be a weekend warrior.



Increase your steps at home or in your activities

• Go for an after meal stroll, at least once a day.
• Play some music and dance while you clean the house.
• Get up out of your chair to change the TV channel.
• Park your car further away from the supermarket
• Mow the lawn or do some weeding.
• Go window shopping.
• Walk the dog or offer to walk a neighbor’s dog.
• Start an afternoon/morning walking for fun club with your friends and neighbors.
• Join one of the organized walks in your area.
• Park your car further away from where you work.
• Instead of standing, walk up and down escalators.
• Include a 15 minute walking break during your work day.
• Start a lunch time walking group with colleagues.
• Walk over to see your work colleagues if you need to talk to them instead of calling or e-mailing.