Starting and staying with a walking program can be more fun in a group. Here's what Donna is sharing about her successes:

"In January 2007, I visited my hometown of 27 years, Los Angeles. We now live in North Carolina. Well, everyone I knew in Los Angeles was on the 10,000-step program. So, I brought it back to N.C.

"Several of my friends and I started a morning walking regimen to get a start on the day. We meet at 8 a.m. and walk for one hour, generally completing between three and four miles. Bottom line success: I've lost 26 pounds in one year. We continue to meet and walk. It is fun and healthy."

Shared on May 12, 2008 Share your story

Lucille says her workouts help her meet a health challenge:

"I have lupus and have been working out at the gym for 20 years or more. It's hard to do but I keep at it because I can move better."

Shared on May 12, 2008 Share your story

Clarine didn't plan to lose weight at first, but now she's hooked on daily walking, which helps her maintain a healthy weight. Here's her story:

"With a family history of diabetes and being overweight, I started to Weight Watchers in 2004 with my boss, not really planning to go and lose weight. I lost five pounds the first week and I was hooked. Ten months later in July 2005 I reached my goal weight, losing 54 pounds. By the way, I will be a life member three years in July of this year.

"Not wanting to put the weight back on, I started walking as my exercise of choice. I have been walking for the past three+ years trying to do at least three miles per day. During the spring and sometimes summer I take advantage of the fact that I work right beside a park that has a walking path and sneak in an extra three miles at lunch.

"I saw this Web site in the CPCC Communicator and thought I would give it a try. Sometimes I am not too good at writing things down, so I really don't know how many miles I walk a year and thought it might be interesting to know."

Shared on May 11, 2008 Share your story

Now able to walk regularly, Dianne's story is an encouraging one for those who know they need to make some changes to improve their health:

"I am a 56-year-old white female who was obese, at 5 feet 1 inch and weighing in at 230 pounds. I was on high blood pressure and high cholesterol medication for 6 years. My right knee had already given out and I had had a partial knee replacement six years ago, now with a stress fracture because of the weight. My spine has three bulging discs (confirmed from MRI). Sleep apnea and snoring were a problem also. I was on an inhaler for asthma and was told I was a walking time bomb for a stroke or a heart attack.

"I had gastric bypass surgery August 6, 2007. Since this time I have lost 88 pounds and am off all of the meds and no longer snore. I am having to walk and do exercise on a daily basis, which I was not able to do before.

"I feel like when I woke up from my surgery, my life changed in a way that I cannot express. I feel like when I woke up from the surgery, a new Dianne and body had taken the place of the old fat one who died on the table. I could not walk past a couple of houses in our neighborhood because of either being in pain from my joints or could not breathe without gasping for air. Now I can out-walk my husband, and he has to stop and take a breather.

"What I am trying to say to those who do not walk or who cannot do it because of health problems, if you start out slowly and keep working on it on a daily basis, then you have not failed, you have beaten the odds. A little bit of exercise and walking to start out with is better than just sitting there and not doing anything. Don't give up and give in, just keep on keeping on and walk for better health."

Shared on May 10, 2008 Share your story