Move More and Eat Healthier in September
September is America On the Move's national month long celebration highlighting the benefits of active living and healthy eating.
American on the Move is encouraging everyone to move more and eat healthier during the month of September. Take the Steptember Challenge and make two small changes that will have a big influence on your health by moving more and eating less.
The goal of Steptember is to allow everyone to experience how small, simple changes can add up to a healthier lifestyle and healthy weight for life.
By participating in this year's campaign, you'll be taking steps towards a healthier way of life. Join the people, families, worksites, schools, and communities who are turning September into Steptember.
What is Steptember?
A National Celebration of Being Active and Healthy Eating
Steptember is America On the Move's national month of celebration that highlighs just how easy it is to be more active and eat healthfully.Making Two Small Changes
During the month of September, everyone is encouraged to experience America On the Move's small change approach that prevents weight gain and enhances health.
The approach includes taking two simple steps:
- 1. Add an extra 2000 steps (or activity equivalent) to your day
2. Choose one smart way to eat 100 fewer calories each day.
Why does this work?
Research shows that achieving energy balance is an effective approach to healthy weight management.
Adding just 2000 extra steps and eating 100 fewer calories each day are enough to help many Americans prevent the current average annual weight gain of 1-2 pounds.
These small, but consistent changes to a person's daily physical activity and eating patterns can add up over time to big rewards. The rewards - a better level of health and quality of life.
Photo Source: Oliver Gruener. Shoeprint. Royalty Free Use.
Make This September Steptember
Take the Steptember Challenge
A Month of Action for a Healthier You
During the month of September, people are encouraged to take two simple steps that will help prevent weight gain and also enhances health:- 1. Add an extra 2000 steps (or activity equivalent) to your day.
2. Choose one smart way to eat 100 fewer calories each day.
More About Steptember
Making Two Small Changes to Make a Difference
- Steptember Main Page
- September is America On the Move's national month long celebration highlighting the benefits of active living and healthy eating.
- Creating an Environment for Success
- A pdf file on how to Create an Environment for Success.
- A Walkability Checklist
- A pdf file to determine how walkable your community is.
- 100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories
- A pdf file with 100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories.
- 100 Ways to Add 2000 Steps
- A pdf file with 100 Ways to Add 2000 Steps.
- Activity Conversion Chart
- A pdf file for the Activity Conversion Chart.
Steptember
The Steptember Challenge Proclamation
Reasons for the Steptember Challenge
The Proclamation cites many of the reasons and the statistics for getting Americans involved in Steptember.Whereas:
* Nearly two out of three Americans are now overweight or obese.
* The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and adolescents aged 6-19 years, 16% - over 9 million young people-are considered overweight.
* Obesity significantly increases the risk of serious chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
* In 2000, the estimated annual cost of obesity in the United States was about $117 billion.
* Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, more than 50% of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits.
* According to the Institute of Medicine, in 1969, an average of 48 percent of all students and 90 percent living no more than a mile away walked or bicycled to school. In 1999, only 19 percent of children walked to or from school and 6 percent rode bicycles to school.
* According to the U.S. Surgeon General, as policy makers and health professionals, we must embrace small steps toward coordinated policy and environmental changes that will help Americans live longer, better, healthier lives.
* Achieving energy balance; balancing amount calories eaten with calories burned through physical activity each day is the best way to prevent weight gain.
* Community commitment toward creating policies and environments that provide opportunities for people
to enjoy physical activity and make healthy eating choices on a regular basis is essential for effective, lasting change.
* Teachers, parents, business leaders, and others across the nation are joining together with America On the Move and YMCAs nationwide and here in our state of X to make these positive changes in their communities.
Source:
America on the Move. 2007. Help Us Turn September into Steptember Planning Guide. Steptember Proclamation.
Omron Pocket Pedometer in the Amazon Spotlight
Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 10/16/2008)
The Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer is an advanced, high-tech pedometer that can be carried in your pocket or bag.
The device's large, easy-to-read LCD display can separately display aerobic steps and minutes walked more than 10 minutes continuously. A seven day history lets you review a full week of exercise, and there's also a 42-day memory for uploading past workouts to your PC. The device resets at midnight automatically so it's ready to go every morning.
A Featured Lens on Walk for Health
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Walk Yourself Healthy - Walking for Health - Health Benefits of Walking
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While walking may be one of the oldest forms of exercise it continues to be one of the best ways to improve your health and well being. Because of it many benefits walking may become one of the most popular prescriptions available in a physician's ar...
10 Easy Ways to Add 2000 Steps
Suggestions from American on the Move
From the 100 Ways to Add 2000 Steps, these were the 10 ways to add 2000 steps that I thought would be the easiest to do.
Photo Source: Modified Microsoft Image.
- Hold a meeting while you go for a walk.
- Stroll the halls while waiting for appointments e.g. Doctor, Dentist, Car Mechanic.
- Listen to music or books on CD wile walking (to help the time to pass more quickly).
- Go to a nearby school with a track. Walking 4 laps around a track is approximately 2000 steps.
- Pace around your house while you are talking on the phone.
- Buy a walking video or a treadmill so you can still get your steps in on rainy (or hot) days or at night.
- Walk in place while watching your favorite TV show.
- Avoid elevators and escalators. Take the stairs instead.
- Park in the far end of the parking lot.
- Designate 10 minutes of your lunch break for a quick walk.
A Featured Lens on Nature Therapy
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Nature Therapy - Therapeutic Walking or Hiking - Green Therapy
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John Muir once wrote, In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. Walking in nature can have many therapeutic benefits for the person walking. Taking a walk or a hike to enjoy the scenery, the fresh air and the activity can help in...
More Pedometers Available on Amazon
Count those Steps and Make Your Steps Count
ACCUSPLIT AE170 Pedometer with Steps, Distance, and Calories Burned
Amazon Price: $28.99 (as of 10/16/2008)
Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 10/16/2008)
- Hip Pedometer
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 10/16/2008)
Timex T5E011 Pedometer
Amazon Price: $14.44 (as of 10/16/2008)
Pedometer with Pc Download
Amazon Price: $35.44 (as of 10/16/2008)
The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life in the Amazon Spotlight
The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life
Amazon Price: $18.48 (as of 10/16/2008)
Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian, adjunct professor and host of Food Network's Healthy Appetite has written a new book on The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.
The Food You Crave is all you'll need to change the way you eat and change the way you feel. It contains 200 recipes that cover every meal of the day and every craving you might have. Every recipe contains a complete nutritional breakdown, as well as tips on ingredients and techniques that will keep you eating smart and eating well.
Featured Lenses on Healthy Promotion
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Raising Healthy Children for Life
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Health 4 Life helps put the focus on raising healthy kids by providing education and resources for schools and families to encourage healthy choices, good nutrition and daily physically activity in a fun and enjoyable manner. Health 4 Life is a simpl...
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Promote Heart Health and Prevent Heart Disease
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February is officially American Heart Month but you can learn about promoting heart health and preventing heart disease year 'round. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Stroke is the third leading...
10 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories
Suggestions from America on the Move
From the 100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories, these were the 10 ways to cut 100 calories that I thought would be the easiest. They have been slightly embellished from the original.Photo Source: Penelope Berger. Chocolate. Royalty Free Use.
- Satisfy your chocolate craving by opting for 1 or 2 small 'fun size' bars, kisses or chocolate bar squares.
- Eat slowly and make your meal last. This helps reduce the urge for a second helping.
- Leave 3-4 bites on your plate.
- When snaking, control your portions by eating the 100 calorie packs, or pouring out individual servings of pretzels or chips into a bowl instead of eating from the bag (and potentially over-eating.
- Satisfy a sweet tooth with a sliver, a bite or a taste of dessert, instead of a full portion. (Split one with someone else.)
- Pay attention to serving sizes on beverages. Many soda and juice drinks are 2 servings or more.
- Quench your thirst with bottled water instead of soda from the vending machine.
- When eating out choose a healthy option item designated by a symbol on the menu.
- Skip the super-size promotions.
- When dining out ask for the sauce and salad dressing on the side; add enough to enjoy the flavor, but be sure to leave some behind (with the extra calories).
Recommended Books on Healthy Eating
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating
Amazon Price: $10.87 (as of 10/16/2008)
Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/16/2008)
Eating Well For Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Bringing Health and Pleasure Back to Eating
Amazon Price: $14.65 (as of 10/16/2008)
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 10/16/2008)
American Diabetes Association Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating(3rd Edition)
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 10/16/2008)
What Is America On the Move (AOM)?
Sponsor of Steptember
America on the Move (AOM) is a national non-profit initiative with the aim of improving quality of life - for individuals, families, communities and society.AOM engages people of all ages in programs that emphasize energy balance - a balance between the amount of calories eaten and the amount of calories burned through physical activity.
AOM research shows that achieving energy balance is an effective approach to healthy weight management. Adding just 2000 extra steps and eating 100 fewer calories each day are enough to help most Americans prevent the current average annual weight gain of 1-2 pounds. Small, consistent changes to daily physical activity and eating patterns can add up over time to big rewards - experienced in a better level of health and quality of life.
AOM believes success in curbing the overweight and obesity epidemic requires a commitment of shared responsibility. As a result, the AOM programs also inspire participants to be advocates - taking action in their communities to promote environments that foster and sustain a healthy weight.
Source:
America on the Move. 2007. Help Us Turn September into Steptember Planning Guide. What is America on the Move?
State Initiatives to Get People Healthier
- Healthy Hawaii
- The Living Healthy campaign encourages Hawaii's residents to make small changes with big impacts to improve their overall health.
- Colorado on the Move
- Colorado on the Move is sponsored by the UCHSC Center for Human Nutrition, the first affiliate of America On the Move Campaign.
- Governor's Vision for a Healthier California
- The ten Point Vision developed by Governor Schwarzenegger to make California a healthier state.
Steptember in the News
What's New about the Steptember Challenge?
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBloggers Post on Steptember
- Celebrate STEPtember!
- America on the Move, a nonprofit group that promotes healthful eating and active living, is hosting the "STEPtember" Challenge. The goal is to show that small changes?such as adding 2000...
- Go Green - Be More Active this Steptember
- September is America On the Move's national month long celebration highlighting the benefits of active living and healthy eating. Steptember is A Celebration of Being Active and Healthy Eating. The goal of Steptember is to get everyone ...
Squidoo Lensmasters for Steptember
Are You Taking the Steptember Challenge?
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Coral_Milburn_Curtis
Another brilliant lens. How prolific you are! Please would you submit this to the Education, Education, Education group? Posted August 27, 2007 |
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Comfortdoc
After a summer of watching my daughters, I am highly motivated to be taking the Steptember Challenge. Posted August 19, 2007 |
