CALIFORNIA
BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT
WALKING FOR WELLNESS
Overview of Activities,
Program Accomplishments, and Next Steps.
ACTIVITIES
CABWHP conducted a project called Walking for Wellness
from July 2004 to July 2005. The goals of the project
were to increase the physical activity levels of participants.
This goal was accomplished through the use of in-class
education modules as well as the internet.
The CABWHP Walking
for Wellness program introduced curriculum including
the segments: Introduction to Wellness, Getting Back
to Basics, Goal Setting and Nutrition 101. Each segment
was greeted by participants with enthusiasm and with
an eagerness to learn. In addition to class time,
the participants spent time reviewing the Black Women's
Health Imperative's website, completing online assignments
and putting learned techniques into action.
During the "Getting
Back to Basics" component the facilitator covered
basic training for walking as they developed their
walking plans via the BWHI website. During the "Goal
Setting" component the participants learned how
to set goals for their physical activities. The participants
created their short-term and long-term goals for their
physical activities using an online assessment. The
"Nutrition" component was by far the most
interactive discussion. The participants asked many
questions related to proper eating and shopping for
good health.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The CABWHP is proud to announce that every single
participant lost weight. They lost from 4 to 17 pounds.
The women also learned better eating habits and some
have chosen to stop eating at fast food restaurants.
The women reported that they now spend more time in
the fresh food and vegetable sections of the supermarket.
Finally, the women have incorporated increased physical
activity in their daily routines. Overall, the program
has made a positive impact on the health and well-being
of the women who participated.
NEXT STEPS
The CABWHP Walking for Wellness program has exhausted
it's funding but we hope to continue to encourage
the Walking for Wellness participants to remain active
and healthy. We hope to be able to offer the participants
more interactive programming including grocery shopping
trips, walking groups and more small group meetings
at different locations around the city.
