Dr. Wendi Johnson - May 5, 2021

Walk with a Doc was started in 2005 by a doctor in Ohio who wanted to show his patients how to incorporate activity into their lives, instead of just telling them to be more active. His program has grown to include chapters in most states and many other countries. By joining the program, we have a few components that all chapters do. One, we sign in. They keep stats of how many participants. We would like the email or text information to communication. For example, if we decide to change location due to weather or if we add more days. Two, we have a five-minute talk and three, we walk. 

Our motto is educate, exercise, empower. The talk is the educate part, the walk is exercise and empower is hopefully how this affects you and your future choices.

Today’s talk is why we walk. We all have our reasons. Some may have already made walking a part of how they stay active and don’t even think about why they got started. Some of you may simply be here because someone talked or coerced you into coming. But let’s talk about why you will look forward to and come back for our next walk. The simplest reason is it can help you burn more calories so it can help with weight loss or maintaining healthy weight. While you are walking, it revs up your metabolism, it can suppress your appetite, it strengthens your muscles, it increases blood flow to your brain to fight off the urge to nap or snack, it improves leg joint function and helps you maintain balance. So, besides these internal benefits your body experiences, you are here with others. Some people you may know, others you may not. As you walk, you will probably talk to someone and you will enjoy it. I sound like a mom on the first day of school, right? But we have all had a year of less social interaction and we need this to bring us back together. You will leave here in a better mood because you connected with someone! Okay, not everyone feels social all the time, so if today is not your day, you can experience nature on this walk and that is often a form of medication which is good for body and soul. Does anyone want to share their reason for walking or a reason to return to our next walk?

Okay, before we start some safety reminders. This is a shared multi-use recreation trail so try not to block the whole trail. Be alert for bikers, they should alert us if they come from behind. Keep kids and animals in your sight to keep them safe. How far are we going? If you want to walk the short course, from here to the Croft Mine parking lot and back is one mile. The long course is two miles, from here to the bench made by a Boy Scout on Portsmouth, near the 98 trail, and back. Let’s walk!

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