Registration is now open for the more than 10,000 Greater Orlando residents expected to take steps to improve their heart health on October 2nd, when they participate in the American Heart Association's Start! Heart Walk, to be held at Loch Haven Park.

The annual event, co-chaired by Sherrie Sitarik, Orlando Health Executive Vice President and Brian Paradis, Florida Hospital COO, raises funds to fight heart disease and stroke, America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Teams of employees from local companies, along with friends and family members of all ages, will participate in the non-competitive 5K (3.1 miles), following a program emceed by Leslye Gale of Magic 107.7. To learn more, join a team, or to form your own team, visit GreaterOrlandoHeartWalk.org. There is no registration fee, however participants who raise at least $100 will receive a Start! Heart Walk t-shirt, with other incentive opportunities.

More than 100 companies have already formed Start! Heart Walk teams including Blue Cross Blue Shield, CNL Bank, Florida Emergency Physicians, Florida Hospital, HCA, Massey Services/Massey Communications, Orlando Health, Orlando Heart Center, Orlando Magic, Seminole State College, Skanska, Sodexo, Target, Track Shack, UCF School of Medicine, Valencia Community College, Wachovia, Walgreens and Walt Disney World. More companies are coming on board each week.

Why Start!: 70% of Americans don't get enough exercise, and 65% of adult Americans are overweight or obese. Lack of physical activity significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Start! is the American Heart Association's national cause that helps individuals, families and communities achieve a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and nutrition en route to ideal health.

Start! champions walking because it has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. The association links the Start! movement with the workplace because jobs are becoming increasingly sedentary, Americans are working 164 more hours per year than 20 years ago, and controlling health care costs is a major priority for employers. Heart disease alone costs employers more than $3 billion annually. Studies show that there are big benefits to companies who promote physical activity: employers can save $3-15 for every $1 spent on health and wellness programs; fitness programs have reduced employer healthcare costs by 20 - 55%; reducing just one health risk in the workplace increases productivity by 9% and decreases absenteeism by 2%.

What you can do: The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day. Walking vigorously for as little as 30 minutes a day can promote weight loss, decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. One hour of exercise can add two hours of lifespan.

Want to start walking? The American Heart Association's Start! Web site - startwalkingnow.org - includes free tools and strategies to help people get started and stay active.

They include:

• Local walking paths. To find one near you, visit startwalkingnow.org.
  
• Three customized walking programs (beginner, intermediate and advanced)
  
• Online tracking tools to document calories consumed, steps taken and routes walked
  
• Sole mates social networking capabilities to find and support like-minded walkers
  
• Downloadable seasonal walking guides with tips to maintain a routine regardless of weather
  
• Walking videos, produced in collaboration with ExerciseTV, that make an at-home workout easier with tips and motivation
  
• Social media daily walking guide with inspirational messages, heart-health tips of the day, video content from Exercise TV, community chat capability and a private journal