Stop the trains, planes, and automobiles! Friday, April 6 is National Walk to Work Day, so lace up and walk on! We’re doing it, too. Join the WH staffers @WomensHealthMag as we walk to work, and tweet at us with the hashtag #OnMyWaytoWork to tell us about your journey.

Do you typically walk to work? Only 2.7 percent of commuters do, according to estimates from the 2010 American Community Survey. What a shame. I live a lucky 1.3 miles from work, and I relish the time I spend walking there. Just imagine having no bus or train to catch, no stressful rush hour traffic. Plus, fresh air and natural light provide a wake up call that even coffee can’t compete with.

But it should come as no surprise that so few people tackle their commutes by foot. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Americans commute an average of almost twelve miles each way—at a don’t-sweat-in-your-suit, 15 minute-per-mile pace, it would take you three hours to walk! Few people have the time for that kind of fitness plan. If you live too far from work to walk there, you can still add extra steps to your journey by parking further from your office, hopping off the bus, train, cab, or subway a stop or two early, or taking the stairs.

Make Your Walk Work Overtime
“Walking is an ideal way to strengthen almost every major organ in the body, promote bone density, and boost the immune system,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., a specialist in integrative medicine. Make the most of every step with Weil’s quick tips:

• Improve your posture: Walk with your head erect, keep your back straight, and buttocks tucked in.
• Sync your stride: Bend your arms and flex your elbows at approximately 90-degree angles, and swing your arms opposite to the movement of your legs.
• Balance better: Take shorter, measured steps that place the heel on the ground first so you push off with the toes—too long a stride can throw you off balance.

Join us! Follow the WH staffers as we walk to work, and tweet @WomensHealthMag with the hashtag #OnMyWaytoWork to tell or show us what you saw on your commute!

Women’s Health News Blog: Latest Health Headlines and Tips to Stay Healthy