Dr. Martha Eddy, CMA, Ed.D., exercise physiologist and movement therapist has also been a dancer all her life and now shares her passion for dance, fitness and exercise with NYC residents. She talked to GetHealthyHarlem.org about ways that Harlem residents can start exercising.

Q: How are you involved with the Harlem community?

A: I was born and raised in East Harlem and all of my family still lives there. I have a strong relationship with East and Central Harlem. I used to be the coordinator of the Wellness Center at the Riverside Church. While working there, I developed many connections with people and programs in the community. I also designed one of the worlds only breast cancer exercise programs. While at Riverside Church, I was affiliated with Columbia University's Teachers College, Rosen...Center for Alternative Medicine, and Mailman School of Public Health working on several breast health programs in Harlem, and programming at North General Hospital. Now, I run the Center for Kinesthetic Education.

Q: What resources are available to help Harlem residents exercise more?

A: Moving On aerobics is offered for free throughout NYC and we are looking to expand to new locations. The Harlem YMCA has an exercise program that we hope to partner with; Center for Kinesthetic Education also offers a dance program that is available to all NYC schools. Schools can participate by going to our website and hiring us to train classroom teachers to incorporate dance and body awareness into classes at their schools. The program focuses on healthy approaches to dance and teaches children to become more aware of their bodies, express themselves, reduce stress, and get moving! I also plan to bring more movement and dance into family day cares and pre-K programs.

Q: Do you have any tips for people to increase the amount of activity they're getting without having to go to the gym?

A: Get outside and start walking! A great way to start is to walk your dog or offer to walk a friend's or neighbor's dog. You constantly see dog walkers in NYC who are outside everyday walking and getting exercise.

For all people, with or without dogs, you can walk more in your daily life by getting off the subway a stop earlier and walking the extra couple of blocks. If you have time, you can benefit more if you find an area to walk through, such as a park. Getting fresh air near trees ensures getting more oxygen to the entire body. Walking is healthy for your heart and if done regularly it will help you lose weight.

Another tip I have for people trying to exercise is to think about what motivates you to exercise and set a goal. Once a person sets a goal and has a reason to exercise, they are much more focused and likely to reach that goal. For instance, if you want to walk but know that you probably won't do it by yourself, set a goal to invite three different friends to take one walk a week with you.

There are also walking groups in Northern Manhattan organized by Nancy Bruning. She organizes groups to walk in Fort Tyron Park in Harlem. I would encourage people to start walking with her!

To learn more about Dr. Eddy's work in Harlem, you can contact her at MarthaEddy@wellnessCKE.net or call (212) 414-2921.

Harlem Word is a series of interviews with local health experts written by HHPC and approved by our Health Advisory Board.