What is BeeWell for Life? And how is BeeWell for Life different from BeeWell Miles?

BeeWell for Life is the new home for BeeWell Miles! Bumble Bee Foods is proud to introduce BeeWell for Life, a site fully dedicated to the total health and wellness of your body, mind and spirit. Not only will you be able to continue logging your miles towards a donation to the Network of Strength, you will also find all the tools and resources you need to make the most of your active lifestyle.

Why do I need to register to take part in the BeeWell for Life program?

You need to be registered in order to customize the tools provided for tracking your miles and your nutrition. These tools allow you to see your progress, track the history of the miles and meals you have logged and see the difference BeeWell for Life is making for you.

Do I need to be logged in to record my miles?

Yes. You will need to be logged into your account in order for you to be able to track the miles you walk/run/cycle and to view your total contribution to Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

Can I log miles that are biked? I don't like to walk/run.

Yes, your miles from walking, running, or cycling (up to 20 miles per day) count towards the $0.15/mile donation to Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

What makes BeeWell for Life so special?

Unlike other sites where you can log miles and log your nutrition, we make your miles matter! As an incentive to get active, BeeWell for Life turns your miles into donations towards a worthy cause. Thanks to our 2009 participants, Bumble Bee donated $150,000 to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength on their behalf! We hope to do even more this year, with your help. For every mile you log, Bumble Bee Foods will donate $0.15 to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, continuing to provide emotional relief and support to those touched by breast cancer. Our goal is to log 1 million miles between January 1 and October 31, 2010. By doing so, Bumble Bee will donate an additional $50,000 to Breast Cancer Network of Strength® for a total donation of $200,000.

Why isn't the program year-round?

The BeeWell for Life donation program runs until the end of the October to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Although the donation program wraps up in the end of October, BeeWellforLife.com continues to offer tools and resources to make the most of your healthy active lifestyle year around.

How can I win prizes?

There are two ways to win prizes between April 1, 2010 and October 31, 2010:

1. Instant Win: Log the miles you walk, run, and/or cycle for a chance to win an instant prize, each day you log your miles. To log miles, you must first register and create your personal account. Members can win instantly once per day. Thousands of instant win prizes will be awarded between April 1, 2010 and October 31, 2010.
2. Monthly Sweepstakes:
   • Earn an entry into the BeeWell for Life monthly sweepstakes, just by registering!
   • For every 10 miles you log, you will automatically get one entry into that month’s drawing. To log miles, you must first register and create your personal account. Members can earn up to 4 entries per month* (total of 40 logged mile). 5 prizes will be awarded per month, from April through October.

When can I win prizes?

Prizing period runs from April 1, 2010 through October 31, 2010.

What kinds of prizes can I win?

Instant win prizes include:

• Puretracks Music download codes
• BeeWell for Life t-shirt
• FTD flower certificate
• And more!

Monthly sweepstakes prizes include:

• Wii Fit
• iPod shuffle
• Lady Foot Locker/Foot Locker gift cards
• Nike gift certificates
• Work out gear
• And more! See rules for details.

What is Bee Active with Coach Jenny?

Each week, Coach Jenny helps you Bee Active with insightful articles that help you get more health benefits from walking and running. To read her latest articles, click here.

Coach Jenny also answers your walking, running and work out questions. Use this link to send your questions today! To see some answers to questions previously posted, click here.

Who is Coach Jenny?

Jenny is a published a coach, speaker, endurance athlete, and author of three books (Marathoning for Mortals, Running for Mortals, Training for Mortals). She has a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology, a Masters Degree in Exercise Science and is a certified coach and personal trainer. To read more about Coach Jenny, click here.

What is Bee Delicious with Willow & Stephanie?

Your body needs the right nutrition to keep you on your active path. Bee Delicious helps you do just that! Each week, Willow & Stephanie bring you articles, tips and ideas to help you eat well and BeeWell! To read their latest articles, click here.

Willow & Stephanie also answer your nutrition and recipe questions. Use this link to send your questions today! To see some answers to questions previously posted, click here.

Every other week, Willow & Stephanie give you a glimpse of everything they've eaten for the day, along with a detailed nutrition breakdown using the Log & Share Your Meals tool. This is a great way to see how they use different ingredients to create satisfying and nutritious meals and snacks. And a great resource for new meal ideas!!! To see their latest menu, click here.

Let Willow & Stephanie help you! Submit a full menu of everything you eat for one day (or just one meal if you prefer) and get detailed feedback from Willow & Stephanie about what's working, what's not, and how to make the most positive changes to get the most out of your meals.

On a bi-weekly basis, Willow & Stephanie select a member-submitted daily menu (or three separate meals & a snack) for review. Submit your full menu (or just a meal) by using the Log & Share Your Meals tool on your MyAccout page for a chance to have your daily menu reviewed.

Who are Willow & Stephanie?

Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh are the co-owners of C&J Nutrition, a nutrition communications firm and nutrition counseling practice based in New York City. Both Stephanie and Willow are registered dietitians with graduate degrees in nutrition communications and backgrounds ranging from clinical nutrition to corporate wellness and health and nutrition writing. You can find out more about Willow and Stephanie here.

I heard you are offering Sudoku puzzles. Where can I find them?

We are offering weekly Sudoku puzzle and Giant Sudoku puzzles (using the alphabet) on a monthly basis. You can find both in the Extra Buzz tab at the top of every page.

Do you offer other games as well?

We currently only offer Sudoku for games on the site. The BeeWell for Life team will be happy to review any suggestions for additional games. Please submit suggestions here.

Do you offer recipes on this site?

BeeWell for Life offers delicious and simple recipes in the Bee Delicious section of the website. You can access this section either from the homepage or by clicking Bee Delicious tab at the top of every page.

Can I find BeeWell for Life on Facebook or Twitter?

Yes! We have a page on both networks. Just search for "BeeWell for Life" and become a fan/friend/follower!

How does walking compare to running?

Walking can provide the same benefits as a running program. General health benefits are acquired from any walking. For cardio benefits the key is walking fast enough to get your heart rate up. Walkers may miss fewer days due to injury than runners while achieving similar improvements in aerobic conditioning.

How many steps in a mile?

One mile is equal to 5,280 feet. Most people say it takes about 2000 steps for every mile. Of course everyone's stride is different. An average stride is usually somewhere between 2 and 3 feet in length. So on average it takes between 1,760 and 2,640 steps to complete one mile.

To measure your stride, mark a distance of 50 feet. Now walk this distance and count your steps. Divide 50 by the number of steps and that is your stride length. Now, divide 5,280 by your stride length to find your "average steps per mile".

How many calories are burned walking one mile?

This will vary depending on the individual, speed walked, terrain, etc. An average is 100 calories per mile.

How many calories do I need to burn to lose one pound?

One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories.

A healthy rate of weight loss is approximately one to two pounds per week. If you are losing faster than that you may be losing bone and muscle mass in addition to fat. In order to average one pound per week it would be necessary to burn an additional 500 calories per day. (7 days a week X 500 calories per day = 3,500 calories.)

If you do not have the time or energy to burn the additional 500 calories a day you can use a combination of calorie reduction and exercise. Such as burning 300 calories a day through exercise and reducing calorie intake by 200 calories.

What are the benefits of walking?

Walking or running for fitness can help you achieve a number of important health benefits:

• Reduce your risk of a heart attack
• Manage your blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• Manage your diabetes
• Manage your weight
• Manage stress and boost your spirits
• Stay strong and active

What should I look for in a walking shoe?

• Low heel
• Flexible sole
• Lightweight and breathable fabric
• GREAT fit

Should I prepare before I walk?

Yes. Take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters on your feet or muscle pain.

Wear walking shoes and comfortable, protective clothing

Before you set out, be sure to select comfortable footwear. Also dress in loose fitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.

Warm up

Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm. Warming up your muscles reduces your risk of injury.

Stretch

After warming up, stretch your muscles for about five minutes before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch, lower back flexion stretch and chest stretch.

What is considered a good fitness walking pace?

An average fitness walking pace is close to a 15-minute mile. But, a good pace will vary depending on your fitness level, walking technique, walking goals, and terrain. For general fitness walking you should walk at a pace that increases your heart rate, and you can maintain for 30 to 60 minutes. Use the talk test... if you can't speak without gasping for air you are walking too fast. If you are walking slow enough that you can carry a tune you are probably walking too slow.

How can I increase the number of steps I walk?

There are many ways to increase your daily steps. Use your imagination and come up with your own list:

• Take a walk with your spouse, child, or friend
• Walk the dog
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park farther from the store
• Better yet, walk to the store
• Get up to change the channel
• Window shop
• Plan a walking meeting
• Walk over to visit a neighbor
• Get outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding