Walking My Way to Good Health

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get exercise and improve overall physical and mental health. When CSX began the "Small Steps" program, I immediately signed up.

Ray King, Road Foreman, Maryann Dandevelde, Chief Clerk-Diesel Terminal and Jerry Lambert, Safety Committee Chairman for the CSX Collinwood Terminal in Cleveland show off their new pedometers, provided to employees by CSX in order to encourage regular physical activity and promote good health.

"Small Steps" is an initiative that provides pedometers to CSX employees, free of charge. The best part is that we have specially designed software that uploads how many steps we've walked each day to a website where we can track our progress against others on our team and in our company as a whole. It's very motivating when I see myself come out on top and makes me want to keep on walking. And, to know that these results are benefitting my health as well, makes it even more rewarding. Since starting the program, I've lost weight and noticed that I'm more fit than before. I've even made changes in my diet to complement the small steps exercise plan and can see the results in my increased strength and stamina.

My wife says it's one of the best things that's ever happened to me. In just about three weeks time, I've worked my way up to walking an hour each day, either on the treadmill or around the neighborhood, achieving 20,000 steps in the last two days alone.

At Collinwood Terminal, there are about 25 employees who have received their pedometers and everyone is excited about watching the standings, charting their progress and walking their way to good health.