Increasing your level of physical activity can help
increase your energy, general health and wellbeing and
decrease the risk of developing many serious illnesses
associated with being overweight, such as type 2
diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.
Why be active?
Do it safely...
Walking Checklist
Warm up - It’s a good idea to do a warm-up
before any activity and this is particularly true the
older we get. A warm-up can be as simple as a five
minute walk and some stretches.
Play it safe - Be sure to use safety gear when
necessary (such as helmets, knee or wrist guards,
mouthguards) to protect yourself from impact. If
you’re on or near roads, wear brightly coloured or
reflective clothing so you’re clearly visible to traffic.
Drink plenty of water - Don’t wait until
you’re thirsty after an activity to drink water, your
body will already have started to dehydrate. Drink
water before as well as after activity. Plain water
is best - some sports drinks can be high in salt and
sugar.
Protect yourself in the sun - It’s important to limit
sun exposure between 10am and 3pm. Whenever
you are going outside, seek shade when you can
and remember to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap - slip on
a protective shirt, slop on SPF30+ sunscreen; slap
on a hat that protects your face, neck and ears; and
wrap on a pair of sunglasses.
Regardless of where you live or work, the best thing you can
do is invest in a pedometer and wear it as often as possible you’ll be surprised how much motivation it can provide!
• Join a sport club or gymnasium
• Utilise local activity facilities such as walk/cycle ways
• Take a friend or family member
• Take the dog for a walk before or after work
• Try new activities, dance classes, yoga, etc
• Plan a regular physical activity with friends
Leisure Time:
• Walk around while you’re taking on a cordless or
mobile phone
• Play “old school” games outdoors with your children
such as hide-and-seek or “stuck in the mud”
• Set a daily limit on TV & computer time & stick to it
• Everyday household chores such as cleaning,
vacuuming and gardening are active exercise
• Park the car further away when going to the shops
• Before jumping in the car think about walking to a
friend’s house or to the shop
At Home:
• Take the stairs instead of the lift
• Walk up the escalator instead of standing still
• Walk to work or part of the way by parking further
from work
• Walk the longer way around to the photocopier,
printer or fax machine
• Walk to your colleague’s office instead of emailing
• Enjoy a walk during your lunch break or include a
gymnasium visit into your daily schedule
• Form a walking group at work
• Challenge workmates to an activity or goal
At Work:
Tips to help you
reach 10,000 Steps
Being more active may also help to:
• Build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and
joints, reducing risk of injury
• Increase your metabolic rate - the rate your body
uses up energy (from food and drink)
• Improve your self-confidence and self-esteem
• Reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression
• Improve posture
• Improve sleep and mental health in general
• Create more opportunities to socialise with others
• Get more out of life!
Being active goes hand in hand with eating well to help
maintain a healthy bodyweight. If you’re not striking a
balance between the energy that you put in (as food
and drink) and the energy your body uses up (for
bodily functions and being active), the extra energy
you consume is stored as fat in the body. This excess
of stored fat causes overweight and obesity.
Did you know...
3 Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing
3 Wear a broad-brimmed hat, 30+ sunscreen
3 Avoid walking in the hottest part of the day if
possible
3 Take some water with you
3 Walk within your limits - keep up a moderate
pace but slow down if you feel breathless or
distressed
3 If walking at night stick to a route that has
adequate lighting and where you feel safe
10,000 Steps is a free health promotion program that
encourages the use of step-counting pedometers to
monitor your daily physical activity levels. Gladstone
Regional Council has a limited number of pedometers that
residents are able to borrow to help get started towards
a healthier lifestyle. For further information please contact
Council’s Sport & Recreation Section on 4976 6900.
www.10000steps.org.au
www.gladstonerc.qld.gov.au/healthyact
www.swapit.gov.au
www.your30.qld.gov.au
Useful Websites
Please call 4970 0700 or e-mail
[email protected]
Council encourages users of our walk
and cycleways to report any safety or
maintenance issues.
What is physical activity?
We often use the words ‘physical activity’, ‘sport’
and ‘exercise’ to mean the same thing; but
exercise is really just one type of physical activity,
and sport is another. Physical Activity is a broad
term meaning any bodily movement that uses up
energy.
What is ‘moderate-intensity’ or
‘vigorous’ activity?
•Adults need at least 30 minutes of moderateintensity activity each day, which can be broken
down into sessions of at least 10 minutes.
• Moderate-intensity activity causes a slight but
noticeable increase in your breathing and heart
rate. For example, walking briskly at a pace
where you are able to comfortably talk but not
sing. Other examples including mowing the
lawn, medium-paced swimming or cycling, or
doubles tennis.
• Vigorous activity makes you huff and puff, so
talking in full sentences between breaths is
difficult. Vigorous activities include jogging,
aerobics or fast cycling; and sports like football,
squash and netball.
Live a little too far from work to walk? By riding a
bicycle instead of taking the car, not only will you
exceed your minimum 30 minutes of daily exercise
and save money, you will be making a contribution
towards a better environment.
Based on a distance of 6klm from home to your place
of work, you can save up to $700 per year in fuel, and
prevent over 1 tonne of carbon dioxide (greenhouse
gases) from being released into the atmosphere.
DISTANCES / STEPS
Lions Park to Dawson Highway
via Blain/Palm Drive link
4.74km - 5920 steps
Spinnaker Park Circuit
1.97km - 2462 steps
Happy Valley Fitness Trail
1.50km - 1880 steps
South Gladstone School to
Kooyong Park
2.55km - 3193 steps
Aquatic Centre to Gladstone Marina
2.73km - 3417 steps
KEY / LEGEND
Footpath..........
Walking Trail....
Fitness Station...........
Public Toilets..............
Play Parks..................
BBQ Area...................
Skate Park..................
Proposed Path.....
Please note map is not to scale