January 20th is Take A Walk Outdoors Day. It’s not known who started it or when this day of recognition began.

You may want to make an effort in the new year to get moving on your breaks (whether at the office or at home). Walking is an inexpensive way to get exercising and lose some extra Holiday weight. The author lost 20+ pounds since the pandemic and attributes daily walking 4-6 miles in assisting with this lifestyle change.

There are many benefits to walking:

• Increased vitamin D from the sun
• Burning calories
• Can lower blood pressure
• Lifts your mood

UH Mānoa is a great campus for walking. From the Law School it’s easy to cross Dole Street and walk on the Upper Campus. You can take a 1-mile stroll, speed walk, or jog for good health. The 1-mile loop starts and finishes on McCarthy Mall and is clearly marked with 30 yellow and blue signs.

This pamphlet offers suggested paths on upper campus with mileage calculations.

Some advice to consider if you adopt walking on a frequent basis:

• Wear good shoes
• Track your footsteps (on your smartphone or exercise tracking device)
• Wear sunglasses or a hat
• Consider avoiding high sun (11am-2pm) or wear sunscreen if out more than 30 min.

A good site to get additional information on walking: http://thewalkingsite.com/beginner.html