Hopefully you have already downloaded the Health Storylines app and are using it to record and monitor your self-care goals. If you’re new to our monthly Self-Care Challenge, check out this earlier post.
My recent podcast episode, Yoga & Walking: Ease Pain, Reduce Stress, focuses on Katrina, a yoga instructor’s health journey. Katrina discovered the healing benefits of yoga after experiencing prolonged back pain after an injury.
In the last few years Katrina became involved with Girl Trek, a national movement with the sole mission to get African-American women and girls walking. Walking together with friends or walking with a large group of women and making new friends.
What do we know about the power of Walking?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the practice of walking has both physical and emotional health benefits such as:
- Preventing or managing various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
- Strengthening bones and muscles
- Improving mood
- Improving balance and coordination
- Maintaining a healthy weight
When I began this monthly Self-Care Challenge, back in July of 2018, I bought a FitBit watch. This has been a very satisfying health investment. Unlike other electronics or gym accessory purchases, I still use the FitBit every day. How many stationery bikes or stair masters have you seen sitting on a neighbor’s front lawn at a garage sale or inside serving as a temporary wardrobe rack?
My FitBit has made me more aware of my daily movement — everything from intentional walks to doing house chores. They all add up as steps. Each hour my FitBit reminds me to get up off my butt and move. I glance at my steps throughout the day and half the time, an hour or so before bedtime, if I’ve hit 10,000 daily steps I am rewarded with a little noise and digital fireworks on the FitBit display.
And Yes, that does motivate me.
You know what else motivates me? Seeing my progress in Health Storylines. It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to synch the FitBit.
First you want to select Sync a Device. Follow the steps to synch your FitBit or other supported devices (Nokia, iHealth, MapMyFitness, Runkeeper, Strava, Movable, Misfit, FatSecret, or VitaDock).
At any time you can visit My Storylines to see your daily progress with walking and other Self-Care activities you’ve chosen to monitor.
