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By Fazeena Saleem
Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), together with shopping malls in Qatar, is giving a valuable and different offering to visitors this summer.
It is encouraging residents to walk the corridors of the malls before the stores open every day.
‘Walk More, Walk in Malls’ started at Villaggio last week and will be expanded to Hyatt Plaza and Al Khor Mall on Saturday, and then to Landmark as a part of the Step into Health campaign of AZF.
The step into health programme is an AZF initiative designed to engage the people of Qatar in a self-managed lifelong programme based on a moderate amount of daily healthy activity. The programme promotes walking 10,000 steps or more a day in a non-competitive, recreational and social way.
As summer has arrived and few outdoor activities are possible, this initiative will help people continue walking. It aims to motivate people to walk and experience the invaluable benefits of a healthy lifestyle. During the summer months, mall walking is the perfect workout: along with controlled temperatures, malls provide clean and safe environments to exercise.
If someone starts a walk from any of the gates at Villaggio, walks the corridors and returns to the same gate, it would take an estimated 3,000 steps and 30 minutes, and would burn 150 calories.
Such information is given on maps available at each mall. The maps can be downloaded from the step into health website(stepintohealth.qa). Flyers giving health tips and walking times for each mall will also be available.
Villaggio received a large number of participants for the inaugural walk, according to the organisers. When the initiative moves to other malls, they will feature special walking trails with signs and maps, and members of the AZF team will be at hand to help. Participants will receive stamps to prove that they have completed the circuits.
Around 100 pedometers were given away to the first group of participants. The step into health team is ensuring that the malls have signs and maps that mention the distances and the number of steps per circuit, enabling participants to track their progress.
The Peninsula
What is Mall walking?
In mall walking, people walk or jog through the usually long corridors of shopping malls. Many malls open early so that people may walk. However, the shops and other facilities generally do not open early. Many choose to mall walk as the indoor climate is comfortable and there is easy access to restrooms.
Mall walking can be undertaken individually, in groups, or as part of an organised mall walking program. Mall walking in the United States is especially popular among senior citizens.
Health tips
• Walking in a group can help to keep you motivated and reach your long-term goals.
• Make sure you drink approximately 1.5 litres of water daily to avoid dehydration in summer, especially when engaging in physical activity.
• Create specific health goals and work towards achieving them. Never give up; you deserve to be the healthiest version of yourself.
• Creating a walking group can help keep you motivated and social.
Getting started
• If you haven’t been active for some time, start slow and easy.
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Stretch before and after walking.
• Good posture is important. Keep your back straight and swing your arms as you walk.
• Maintain a steady pace and take long, even steps,
• Drink plenty of water.
• Walking causes a slight increase in the breathing and heartbeat rates, but you should be able to comfortably carry on a conversation.
Why walking?
• Studies have found that walking briskly for 30 minutes or walking 10,000 steps a day can help:
• Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke
• Reduce blood cholesterol
• Decrease the risk of high blood pressure
• Prevent and control type 2 diabetes
• Lower the risk of some cancers
• Control body weight
• Reduce stress levels
• Improve sleep
• Maintain bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures
• Improve balance and coordination
• Increase energy levels and overall happiness
