Get AHA Walking Paths in the palm of your hand! The AHA Walking Paths Mobile Application, sponsored by United Healthcare, is on both iPhone/iPad and Android. The application lets users search for walking paths using GPS technology, create their own walking paths to share with others, save their favorite paths to use on a regular basis, attach a photo to their path and share paths via social networks and email. Paths created on the mobile application can be accessed on the Start Walking Now website . The Start! website also houses the application.

During seven seasons as an NBA center in the late '80s and early '90s, Stuart Gray played against Julius Erving (Dr. J), Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan. These court legends were tough opponents, but not nearly as tough as atrial fibrillation, which Stuart has been fighting for several years.

After retirement Stuart - who is 7 feet tall - worked out regularly and maintained a healthy lifestyle. But professional sports took a physical toll. He's had four knee surgeries and four foot surgeries. And in 2004 he had decompression surgery on his back. Recovery was long, painful and arduous.

"My workout regimen went out the window and it became easier to relax and eat ... really eat," said Stuart, who was the face of the AHA's Central Kentucky Heart Walk on April 23. "Over 18 months, I gained about 100 pounds."

He began to experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness. At 42, he underwent his first cardioversion, a procedure that shocks the heart into a normal rhythm. Ten more of these procedures would follow in the next several years. Then he underwent two cardiac cryoablation procedures.
Now 48, Stuart says he's feeling better, losing weight and working out with a trainer.

"I am grateful to be alive and have met so many wonderful, compassionate people who work in the cardiac units and have been so instrumental to my recovery and care," Stuart said.

Read Stuart's story, in his words, at the AHA's Central Kentucky Heart Walk page.

Finding a safe, free and centrally located walking path will soon be as easy as picking up the phone, thanks to a new smartphone application from the American Heart Association. The free Walking Paths app enables users to find, tag and "like" more than 2,500 American Heart Association-designated walking paths across the country, or even create and save favorite walking paths using the GPS function as they walk.

The app is now available for GPS-enabled Android smartphones. It will be available for iPhone and iPad users via iTunes on May 1.

Cleveland Hopkins Airport opens a new, 1.8 miles walking path that traverses four concourses, in collaboration with The American Heart Association and the City of Cleveland Health Department. Markers every 400 feet will track distances, and walkers can create their own route. An annual Health Walk will be featured.

http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog/2010/08/hopkins-opens-airport-walking-path

Are you up for the challenge? You may have participated in Start! Walking Day but now you need to keep the momentum going! The AHA partnered with Family Circle magazine for the fourth year in a row to publish our Start! Walking Challenge - an easy 12-week program to keep you walking! It also includes some nutrition guidelines and helpful recipes. Follow this link to get the details on the Start! Walking Challenge!

These days, adults like you are spending more time at work than ever before. An unfortunate side effect is that, as a nation, we're becoming more inactive. This is a problem when you consider the fact that physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease!

But take heart! It's a problem you can help fix by convincing your company to take part in National Start! Walking Day.

On this day, employees are encouraged to wear sneakers to work and take at least 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk. It's a great way to raise awareness of the Start! movement and to give your coworkers a friendly push toward a healthier life.

Enjoy a gift from Start! this holiday season, the Start! Holiday Healthy Eating Guide is available for download at Start! Walking Now. This booklet includes tips and recipes to help get through the holidays with your health in mind and is available for free when you register for Start!

Become a fan of Start! – join the Facebook fan page and help Start! reach 20,000 fans by June 30. Become a fan here.

This is the day that adults nationwide can make the pledge to Start! walking and to become active and heart healthy, especially in the workplace.


Call your local American Heart Association office to find out about planned activities near you, then sign up to receive your free, downloadable National Start! Walking Day Tool Kit. This handy kit includes posters, flyers, e-mail scripts and more to easily promote National Start! Walking Day in your workplace.

On this special day:
Invite co-workers to wear their sneakers to work.
Encourage employees to get in their 30 minutes of walking that day.
Change one of your meetings to a walking meeting, and let your colleagues know why.
Start! Shopping for something green to wear.
Host a walk and/or rally to show your commitment to living longer, healthier lives.

What are you waiting for? Join others across the country and be part of the solution to get America walking!