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10/06/2014

Walking Program

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Using a pedometer to measure the number of steps you take in a day is a good way to start a physical activity program and a good way to track your progress. On average, a moderately active person will walk 5,000 to 7,000 steps in a day, which is the equivalent of about 3 miles of walking (2,000 to 2,500 steps equals about 1 mile.). The goal you choose at 4-weeks, 6-weeks, 8-weeks or longer is up to you and will depend on your starting point and lifestyle. If you are 35 year of age or older or have any health concerns about starting or increasing your physical activity level, talk to your Wellness Chiropractor before beginning a new physical activity program. 

Week 1 Baseline:       Record your steps daily. At the end of the week, add up your steps for the 7 days and divide by 7 to get a daily step average or baseline.

                     

                     Monday     Tuesday    Wednesday  Thursday    Friday      Saturday     Sunday

Steps Today








Total Steps for Week 1 _________ ÷ 7 = _________ Daily Step Average/Baseline

Would you like to set a Goal? Now that you know your baseline number of steps, do you want to set a step goal for some point in the future? If yes, pick a date in the future and right in your daily step goal here.  Goal: _________ steps per day by __________ (date).

To build up your steps and endurance, you should gradually increase the number of steps you walk each week. How much you increase is up to you, but this walking program suggests that you increase your walking by 500 steps per day. For example, someone who has a baseline number of 2,000 steps should try to walk 2,500 steps per day in Week 2. Using this method to project your goal for Week 3 and beyond, you would add 500 to 2,500 (Week 2) and 3,000 steps per day is your goal in Week 3 (2,500 + 500), 3,500 in Week 4 (3,000 + 500) and 4,000 in Week 5 (3,500 + 500). Using this progression, this person could double their distance in 5 weeks. 

You can use a smaller target for the number of steps you add each week. For example, increase the daily total at the end of a week by 300 steps instead of 500 steps or stay at a goal for more than one week if you think the progression is too rapid for you. You could also increase the added steps (ex: 500 to 700) if you want to progress more quickly. It’s solely up to you and you should progress at a pace that’s comfortable for you until you reach your goal.

Week 2:          Gradual increase (500). Add 500 to your daily step average/baseline from Week 1 to use as your  Week 2 target. (Tip: During the day take short stretching and walk breaks.)

                     Monday      Tuesday   Wednesday  Thursday    Friday       Saturday    Sunday

Steps Today








Week 2 Target: ______           Total steps for Week 2 _______ ÷ 7 = _______ Average steps

for Week 2.

Week 3: Gradual increase (500). Add 500 to your daily step average from Week 2 to use as your Week 3 target.  (Tip: Look for easy ways to increase your steps like taking the stairs, parking farther away, etc.)

                 

                    Monday       Tuesday   Wednesday Thursday     Friday       Saturday     Sunday

Steps Today








Week 3 Target: ______                       Total steps for Week 3 _______ ÷ 7 = _______ Average steps for Week 3.

Week 4: Gradual increase (500). Add 500 to your daily step average from Week 3 to use as a Week 4 target.  (Tip: You are going to have to work harder now to increase your steps. If you haven’t done so already, recruit a walking partner or group. Walking with others will help motivate you on days you are busy or don’t feel like walking.)

           

                     Monday     Tuesday    Wednesday Thursday     Friday      Saturday     Sunday

Steps Today








Week 4 Target: ______                       Total steps for Week 4 _______ ÷ 7 = _______ Average steps for Week 4.

Week 5: Gradual increase (500). Add 500 to your daily step average from Week 4 to use as a Week 5 target. (Tip: Make short walking trips instead of taking the car. Walk for 15-45 minutes during your lunch period.)

                    Monday      Tuesday    Wednesday  Thursday    Friday       Saturday     Sunday

Steps Today








Week 5 Target: ______                       Total steps for Week 5 _______ ÷ 7 = _______ Average steps for Week 5

Continue your program until you reach your goal. You may want to modify your goal during this program or reset your goal once you reach it. There are a number of programs that use 10,000 steps per day as a fitness goal. This may not work for all individuals. The recommended minimum level of moderate physical activity is at least 30 minutes of activity, at least 5 times per week. In a pedometer program, 4,000 to 5,000 steps translates into 30 minutes of activity.  Higher step levels will increase fitness and will also help with weight loss or weight maintenance. 

Remember true health comes from within. 

“Healthy by Choice NOT by Chance!”  Dr Chris

September 9, 2014

Are you experiencing digestive problems?

Heart burn, abdominal pain, ulcers, nausea, diarrhea, indigestion? Digestive problems are an epidemic in our society. Just watch TV for an evening and you'll see a parade of various drug commercials for digestive complaints. They have become so common that people have just accepted their condition as "normal" and try to learn to live with it. They soon realize that they can't "live" with digestive problems, only "suffer" from them. They then turn to the usual medical remedies and further complicate their health potential. Breakthrough studies have examined new alternatives to the treatment of digestive problems. Drs. Andrei Pikalov, M.D., and Vyatcheslav Kharin, M.D., examined the effectiveness of spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustment) in the treatment of internal organ disorder (ulcerous disease) in a hospital setting. Sixteen men and women with confirmed diagnosis of ulcers took part in the study. The study compared the effectiveness of usual medical care to spinal manipulation, with both groups having a standard diet. The results revealed that spinal manipulation is much more effective at both reducing pain and clinical remission of ulcers. In fact, the spinal manipulation group healed an average of ten days faster than the medical group. This was confirmed with an endoscopic examination. Other studies on digestive problems have shown equally positive responses with chiropractic care.

How is this possible? Remember, the nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. What do you think would happen to your digestive tract if the interference to the nervous system was removed by correcting subluxations that interfere with the performance of your nervous system? In Chiropractic, we don't treat the digestive problems; we remove the interference in the nervous system and allow the body to heal itself naturally and without side effects. This is why so many people are turning to chiropractic as part of their path to wellness. It is imperative that you maintain a healthy nervous system to retain a healthy body!

My son suffered from rare chronic abdominal pains!

My son Ryan developed awful stomach pains at the age of two. He has had them for the last three years, at a frequency of three times per week. He would wake in the night with this abdominal pain, he would have to come home from school, it interrupted his Taekwondo lessons and the awful pains affected other aspects of his life. He saw six different doctors, even a pediatric specialist (who did research on him). He's had x-rays, blood tests, ER visits and he's even been hospitalized. The doctors claimed he had rare abdominal pain. They told him that he would have to learn to live with it. A child of this size having to live with such pain made no sense to me. After hearing about what wellness chiropractic could do for people of all ages, I decided to have my son examined. After his first week of adjustments his stomach pain completely went away and hasn't returned. I am so pleased to be able to watch my son go through life without pain that hindered him for so long. Thank you, Dr. Fowler."  - E. Hogan