Human rights activist Simon Deng is walking 300 miles (482 km) from New York to Washington, DC. The "Freedom Walk" will end in Washington on April 5, 2006. Joining Simon Deng on his walk is ex-NBA basketball star Manute Bol.

The walk is a call to action to end the crisis in Darfur and to bring an end to slavery in the Sudan.  Mr. Deng and Mr. Bol are both from the southern Sudan and are calling on the United States to take action.

Simon Deng was taken from his home in southern Sudan as a child by an Arab family from the north. He escaped several years later and was granted political asylum in the US in 1980.

This article was contributed by Callie Leaver, a personal trainer in Atlanta, Georgia. If you have a question for Callie either post a comment or send it through the contact us section of this web-site.

Did you know experts estimate 15% of our children in the US are overweight? Did you know another 15% are at risk of becoming overweight? Experts also estimate that 2/3 of these children will carry their weight issues with them into adulthood. Take a look at the children in your life. Are they at risk? What can you do?

First of all, recognize you can be a role model for children. If you are not already participating in a fitness activity, start. An easy way to get started is going for a walk.

Burn up to 40% more calories and help prevent knee and hip injuries at the same time by using Nordic walking poles. Walking with rubber tipped walking poles can help provide you with a whole body workout without making you feel like you are working any harder.

Europeans have used walking poles for years as a way to burn calories, increase heart rate and tone muscles.  The concept is simple - the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn. The motion of the poles causes you to work your chest, back, abdominal, arm, butt and hip muscles harder than with walking alone.

If you suffer from sore knees or hips walking poles may help reduce the pain, especially walking up and down inclines.  The stress on your joints is less as the poles absorb more of the impact.

Steve Vaught, also known as the Fat Man Walking made it as far as Englewood, Ohio before deciding it was time to head to the gym. A message on his web-site says that Steve will be off the road for 21 days while he goes to the gym to work on upper body development, portion control and better physical conditioning under the direction of a trainer.

What is the reason for the break? Despite all his walking the fat man walking is, well, still fat, especially around the middle. Steve recognizes that physical fitness is a result of more than just cardio and has taken time off to focus on total fitness and diet. Many of us have found that you need to include different activities in your fitness plans to continue to see the benefits.

The fat man walking has developed a loyal following with the media tracking his every move. He has appeared on numerous national TV shows, been the topic of articles in newspapers and now has a deal to write a book.