Walk away the pounds

Walking 20 minutes a day could add years to your life, a recent Cambridge University study shows.

When Villager Susan Preston lived in Dayton, Ohio, she walked on a track. However, when a friend gave her a DVD called, “Walk Away the Pounds,” she discovered Leslie Sansone’s walk-at-home routine and enjoyed it.

When she moved to The Villages, she discovered there were classes for “Walk Away the Pounds” and decided to join. The class was packed, making it difficult to move, so she decided it might be fun to start her own class. It was a good move, and now she has been doing it for three years and teaches two classes.

“It’s a great class. You can begin at any time, and if you feel you’ve done all you can, you can leave,” Susan says. “I know the people who come to my class want to be healthy, and I want to help them.”

The classes are based on the DVDs by Leslie, who visited Lake Sumter Landing three years ago to meet those who enjoyed her walking routines.

Susan plays Leslie’s DVD, which includes music and Leslie calling out the moves to be made while participants walk in place and perform other moves. There are a variety of videos, some offering more of a challenge than others, but members of Susan’s class know they can adapt the moves to their level of skill and performance.

“Leslie tells you things on the videos that you tend to forget,” Susan says. “

Things like it’s important to hold your core tight for the best effect.”

One class member holds on to the back of a chair to keep her balance, and even though some of the tapes have a faster pace, walkers know they can do it at their own comfort level. “The movement is what counts,” Susan says.

Weight loss is another advantage to the class. “I lost 30 pounds while doing this,” Susan says. “But I also changed my eating habits to accomplish that. Another woman in my class lost 40 pounds while doing this along with Weight Watchers.” Susan has 10 DVDs, so there’s plenty of variety in the classes.

She says her personal reason for doing it is she loves creating greeting cards, which means she spends most of her day sitting at a desk working.

“It’s a way for me to not be so sedentary, and I really enjoy it,” Susan says. “I feel blessed that people come, and I’m contributing to them getting healthy.”