Readers of the Advisor are well aware that wellness programs work and can produce strong returns on investment (ROI). Rather than abandon your wellness initiatives in the down economy, consider these effective no-cost and low-cost approaches.

The Flat 14ers, the Iditarod, and the Oregon Trail

Here is one example of wellness on a shoestring—check out the America on the Move Foundation (AOM). (It’s a national nonprofit organization that promotes healthful eating and active living.)

There are many helpful materials available on their website, but perhaps the most intriguing is the virtual trail-walking programs they offer. To participate, you sign up for a particular trail, and then record the number of steps you take or minutes that you engage in walking or other physical activity (e.g., tennis, jogging, bicycling, yoga, swimming) each day. When you record your entries, you are shown your progress along the trail and given trivia questions about landmarks along the route.

For example, you can "walk":

• The grueling Iditarod Trail, which first connected prehistoric Native Alaskan villages from one coast of Alaska to the other. It later became a major route for the settlement of Gold Rush-era Alaska. Today, it's famous for three internationally famous long-distance winter races.
• The historic Oregon Trail, the route of one of the greatest migrations of people in this country's history. The trail was used by pioneer settlers traveling to the Pacific Northwest to claim land.
• Colorado's “Flat 14ers." (The 14ers are Colorado's 50 peaks with elevations over 14,000 feet.) The 14ers maps are a virtual representation of what it would be like to walk each trail roundtrip by adding up your daily steps.

Ready to Walk a 14er?

Individuals can sign up for themselves, join a group, or start a group. Add your daily steps until you've walked the chosen trail.

In addition to the trail-tracking feature, the AOM website offers "My Toolbox." This feature is based on the premise that the average American can maintain a healthy weight by adding 2,000 steps a day and eliminating 100 calories a day. The website offers these downloadable tools:

100 Ways to Add 2,000 Steps a Day

A few of the hundred ways:

At home

• Circle the block when you go out to get your mail.
• Join a charity walk.
• Pace while talking on the phone.

Or how about this? Try “retro walking.” Walking backwards distributes your weight more evenly (be sure you’re in a safe area and are aware of your surroundings).

At work:

• Exit the bus 1 or 2 stops early and walk the rest of the way.
• Refill your coffee cup at the brew site farthest from your workstation.
• Avoid elevators and escalators: Take the stairs instead.
• Park in the far reaches of the parking lot.
• Walk to a co-worker's desk instead of sending an e-mail.

100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories

• Savor a bowl of bananas, berries, low-fat milk, and sugar substitute.
• Fill your omelet with onions, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms instead of cheese and meat.
• Grill your sandwich using nonstick cooking spray instead of butter.
• Turn a mixed green or spinach salad into a main dish by including blueberries, diced apples, or strawberries, almonds, and grilled chicken.

The site, americaonthemove.org, also features tools for families, forms for tracking wellness progress, and a variety of other wellness materials.

In tomorrow's Advisor, we'll take a look at Web resources for wellness issues such as alcohol abuse and stress, and at a new program that can help you get a wellness program up and running, no matter what the economy. 

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