By Patricia Hickey, Johnson & Johnson Corporate Communications
Every day, I try to get out of the office and take a stroll around downtown New Brunswick - for some air, some exercise, to get away from my computer screen and to clear my head. However, on Wednesday April 16th, my daily constitutional took on an entirely new relevance.
That’s because, April 16th was National Start! Walking Day -- and a group of approximately 75 Johnson & Johnson employees walked around the campus to kick off the day and show support for The American Heart Association. At the same time, the company’s fitness center sponsored blood pressure and Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings while providing information about how simple things like taking a walk can help you improve your health.
When I learned that cardiovascular disease is our nation’s No. 1 killer and that physical inactivity significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, I decided to ramp-up my own activity and I felt walking was an easy step ( no pun intended) to take.
How fitting then that the 16th was also the kick-off for our Million Step Challenge - Team Competition - in which teams of three are tasked with completing 1.25 million steps in 6 weeks. As someone who loves to compete, I figured this was a great way to increase my activity and improve my health. Since signing up, I’ve already walked a total of 311,579 steps -- not bad for the first couple of weeks. Now that the summer sun is starting to shine over New Jersey, I’m going to try to top that and hopefully see the benefits of living an even more active lifestyle.