At Crestwood Chula Vista, they offer several types of fitness and movement activities for their clients, from Yoga to Zumba, to strength training, to dodgeball and kickball.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Confucius
Unfortunately, they found that only a small percentage of their clients were participating in these activities and at the same time were also still struggling with their desire to be healthy and to maintain their weight. “I’m too overweight to exercise” and “I don’t have the energy to work out” were common explanations as to why they were not participating in activities. This presented the staff with a challenge. They asked themselves what activity can just about anyone do, what activity will they want to do and what would be something that would also benefit both their physical and emotional health? The answer was right in front of them. Every client was doing it every day – walking! It was right about this time that the City of San Diego advertised the Parks Fit San Diego 2016 Challenge, which is to walk 30 miles in 60 days. Clients and staff were excited to become involved in the 30-mile challenge and it was a way for them to celebrate every step they would take. But as their clients thought about it, they decided that 30 miles in sixty days was not enough and they would instead do 30 miles in 30 days. So the staff purchased pedometers for everyone participating and off they went. The challenge began on June 18 with a 1-Mile Fun Run. After that, they went on walks in the community, took nature hikes, and joined 5k events. Each and every day, clients could be seen walking the halls and the patio at the facility with pedometers in hand. They pounded the pavement in their neighborhood, trampled the grass at Balboa Park, explored the trails of the Living Coast Discovery Center, and even kicked up some sand at Imperial Beach. The results of the challenge were tremendous! One of their clients walked 215 miles! She reported her miles to the staff proudly every morning. One day she joked, “I didn’t do so well yesterday, I only went 20 miles.” Other clients were motivated to keep up and the race was on! Four clients logged more than four hundred miles and together, as a group, they walked more than 500 miles! “Beyond the miles they racked up, we were seeing firsthand what we have all read in the research studies, that walking and exercise promotes good health, reduces anxiety, increases self-esteem, and boosts mood,” said Shanel Stec, Recreation Assistant. Clients also made healthier food choices. One client lost 20 pounds and another client lost three pounds. They set goals for themselves and tracked their progress faithfully. They worked together as a team, challenging each other to keep up and they joined other groups. They were out in the community, they were out in nature, and best of all, they were having fun. The challenge ended on August 13 with the Parks Fit San Diego 5k finale. However, this finale is not the end for them walking, even more clients and staff have signed up for a new challenge that begins soon. Shanel said, “We are excited to lace up our shoes and walk together, not as clients and staff, but as companions on our journey toward health and wellness.” Contributed by: Shanel Stec Recreation Assistant Crestwood Chula Vista