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05-30-2011, 06:53 PM
Walking: A must-do, super exercise for everyone!
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do - it strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes bone density and boosts the immune system. It requires no special equipment and just about anyone can do it.
Set aside an hour today to go for a walk - enjoy the changing hues of the skies in the morning or in the evening, listen to the soothing sounds of the waves as they wash upon the shores or then walk toward a healthier lifestyle in a park with a group of friends. Whatever be your scenario walk!
Have you ever thought you were too physically exhausted to run another metre or lift another weight and yet you were somehow able to keep going? Chances are your will and motivation kicked in and helped you through the rest of your workout. Lets get that will and motivation into your walking shoes and ensure at least one brisk walk (covering about one mile in 15 minutes) each day. Research has shown that walking daily can lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent. Make it a point to keep your pace up, but stop and chat with a neighbour or a new friend that you meet along the way.
Its easy to get started!
Almost anyone can do it. You can do it anywhere at any time. You do not need special equipment. Its free and easy. You can start slowly and build up gently. If you can only walk for a couple of minutes and then you need to rest that is OK. Where you start from is not important it is where you are going that counts!
How to walk for absolute beginners
Walking for health needs to be monitored as a programme so that one can walk comfortably for 30 minutes to an hour. This is the level recommended to help prevent heart disease, type II diabetes, breast and colon cancer. You would not need too much fancy equipment to walk, maybe a pair of good walking shoes that allows the toes to spread out as they are used to normally and with good ankle support. The better shoes have cushioning and those too could be bought once you get into the daily walking mode. In fact have this as one of your first goals! You could walk indoors on a treadmill at a gym or at home or could head out into the indoors at a time that is suitable to you.
How to walk for weight control
To lose weight and to keep it off, you need to get moving. Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke.
Footwear Get serious about it
To begin regular fitness walking, the only equipment you will need is a pair of well-cushioned, supportive shoes - trainers, specialist walking shoes or other suitable footwear. Many shoe manufacturers now routinely build in cushioning support in their shoes. You might also want to invest in a pair of cushioned walking socks to give further protection to your feet.
Walk at a brisk pace
Now what is a brisk pace? A brisk pace is a pace, which is a little faster and needs a little more exertion than your normal walking pace, let us say walking quickly to catch a bus. If you are walking with a partner take the Talk Test - if you cannot hold a conversation without getting out of breath then you are going too fast. So slow down a little to a pace, which is more comfortable. The Talk Test is a good guide at any walking pace, from a moderate to a brisk, aerobic pace and it will ensure that you never over exert and injure yourself.
Warming up and cooling down
Although walking is safe and effective because it is a low-impact exercise using muscles which you have been using all your life, warming up and cooling down will help you improve your performance and prevent your getting injured.
The best way to warm up is to walk slowly (your normal walking pace) for five minutes before stepping up to a brisker pace. The body is like a finely tuned machine, which needs to be warmed up if it is to work at full efficiency. A warm-up prepares the body for exercise by gradually speeding up your heart rate, breathing rate and blood circulation. As your body temperature rises, your muscles warm up and joints are lubricated in readiness for action, reducing the risk of injury. Increasing the blood supply to muscles provides them with more oxygen and glucose enabling you to establish a strong, aerobic pace early in your workout. Warming up also increases blood flow to the brain, which improves your mood, focus and motivation.
The best way to cool-down is to gently reduce your brisk pace over five minutes back to your normal walking pace, so that your heart and blood pressure can begin returning to normal. A proper cool-down keeps the blood flowing through the muscles and any lactic acid that has built up inside the muscle cells can be dispersed in the circulation to the liver, where it is broken down. By doing this you should avoid niggling problems such as cramps, muscle soreness and stiffness.
Should you walk when it hurts?
We all get aches and pains - how do you know if it means you should stop walking, or if you need to keep going? Pain after an injury is a good signal to rest. But going completely inactive can lead to deconditioning and more pain. Discuss with your doctor if the muscles are sore and aching, joints are swollen, red and warm, you have fever, you have pain that makes you limp or hurts when you put weight on it, a joint feels unstable or locks.
When to eat
Walking on a full stomach is not ideal. Food that remains in your stomach during exercise may cause stomach upset, nausea and cramping. To make sure you have enough energy, yet reduce stomach discomfort, you should go for your walk one to four hours after a meal.
The disease called excusitis or reasons not to start walking!
There may be many reasons why you do not walk much at the moment. Most people give one of three excuses:
It is not safe.
I do not have time.
What is the point?
Personal Safety
Walking is one of the safest physical activities - there is very little risk of injury and it does not hurt. You may be worried about walking alone. So get a partner, a friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse or a grandpa along!
I do not have time
To get health benefits from walking, you only need to walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. If it suits you to break this down and do, say, 3 sessions of 10 minutes walking in a day - that is just as good.
Here are a few ideas about fitting walking into a busy life:
Think before you drive less than a mile - walk to the local shop or post box.
Get off the bus a stop earlier.
Park the car further away from the supermarket.
Take the stairs instead of the lift.
Enjoy a walking lunch - walk to the park and eat your sandwiches.
Borrow a friends dog and take it for a walk.
Throw away the remote control.
Whats the point?
Regular walking can improve your:
Confidence
Stamina
Energy
Weight control
Life expectancy
It can reduce the risk of:
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Bowel cancer
Alzheimers disease
Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Anxiety
Stress
Walking can bring added benefits
Walks are a chance to meet people and make friends - they can be fun.
It is a gentle exercise and it is suitable if you are recovering from heart trouble, a stroke or other illness. Walking has shown to improve self esteem, relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve mood. Walking, particularly in pleasant surroundings and with other people, offers many opportunities for relaxation and social contact.
Whether you want to walk to improve your general health, to keep fit, to control your weight, or perhaps to recover from a period of ill-health, walking can help. It is something that can be done with children or older family members, it will cost you nothing and can fit in with any lifestyle, income bracket, culture or domestic circumstance.
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do - it strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes bone density and boosts the immune system. It requires no special equipment and just about anyone can do it.
Set aside an hour today to go for a walk - enjoy the changing hues of the skies in the morning or in the evening, listen to the soothing sounds of the waves as they wash upon the shores or then walk toward a healthier lifestyle in a park with a group of friends. Whatever be your scenario walk!
Have you ever thought you were too physically exhausted to run another metre or lift another weight and yet you were somehow able to keep going? Chances are your will and motivation kicked in and helped you through the rest of your workout. Lets get that will and motivation into your walking shoes and ensure at least one brisk walk (covering about one mile in 15 minutes) each day. Research has shown that walking daily can lower the risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent. Make it a point to keep your pace up, but stop and chat with a neighbour or a new friend that you meet along the way.
Its easy to get started!
Almost anyone can do it. You can do it anywhere at any time. You do not need special equipment. Its free and easy. You can start slowly and build up gently. If you can only walk for a couple of minutes and then you need to rest that is OK. Where you start from is not important it is where you are going that counts!
How to walk for absolute beginners
Walking for health needs to be monitored as a programme so that one can walk comfortably for 30 minutes to an hour. This is the level recommended to help prevent heart disease, type II diabetes, breast and colon cancer. You would not need too much fancy equipment to walk, maybe a pair of good walking shoes that allows the toes to spread out as they are used to normally and with good ankle support. The better shoes have cushioning and those too could be bought once you get into the daily walking mode. In fact have this as one of your first goals! You could walk indoors on a treadmill at a gym or at home or could head out into the indoors at a time that is suitable to you.
How to walk for weight control
To lose weight and to keep it off, you need to get moving. Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke.
Footwear Get serious about it
To begin regular fitness walking, the only equipment you will need is a pair of well-cushioned, supportive shoes - trainers, specialist walking shoes or other suitable footwear. Many shoe manufacturers now routinely build in cushioning support in their shoes. You might also want to invest in a pair of cushioned walking socks to give further protection to your feet.
Walk at a brisk pace
Now what is a brisk pace? A brisk pace is a pace, which is a little faster and needs a little more exertion than your normal walking pace, let us say walking quickly to catch a bus. If you are walking with a partner take the Talk Test - if you cannot hold a conversation without getting out of breath then you are going too fast. So slow down a little to a pace, which is more comfortable. The Talk Test is a good guide at any walking pace, from a moderate to a brisk, aerobic pace and it will ensure that you never over exert and injure yourself.
Warming up and cooling down
Although walking is safe and effective because it is a low-impact exercise using muscles which you have been using all your life, warming up and cooling down will help you improve your performance and prevent your getting injured.
The best way to warm up is to walk slowly (your normal walking pace) for five minutes before stepping up to a brisker pace. The body is like a finely tuned machine, which needs to be warmed up if it is to work at full efficiency. A warm-up prepares the body for exercise by gradually speeding up your heart rate, breathing rate and blood circulation. As your body temperature rises, your muscles warm up and joints are lubricated in readiness for action, reducing the risk of injury. Increasing the blood supply to muscles provides them with more oxygen and glucose enabling you to establish a strong, aerobic pace early in your workout. Warming up also increases blood flow to the brain, which improves your mood, focus and motivation.
The best way to cool-down is to gently reduce your brisk pace over five minutes back to your normal walking pace, so that your heart and blood pressure can begin returning to normal. A proper cool-down keeps the blood flowing through the muscles and any lactic acid that has built up inside the muscle cells can be dispersed in the circulation to the liver, where it is broken down. By doing this you should avoid niggling problems such as cramps, muscle soreness and stiffness.
Should you walk when it hurts?
We all get aches and pains - how do you know if it means you should stop walking, or if you need to keep going? Pain after an injury is a good signal to rest. But going completely inactive can lead to deconditioning and more pain. Discuss with your doctor if the muscles are sore and aching, joints are swollen, red and warm, you have fever, you have pain that makes you limp or hurts when you put weight on it, a joint feels unstable or locks.
When to eat
Walking on a full stomach is not ideal. Food that remains in your stomach during exercise may cause stomach upset, nausea and cramping. To make sure you have enough energy, yet reduce stomach discomfort, you should go for your walk one to four hours after a meal.
The disease called excusitis or reasons not to start walking!
There may be many reasons why you do not walk much at the moment. Most people give one of three excuses:
It is not safe.
I do not have time.
What is the point?
Personal Safety
Walking is one of the safest physical activities - there is very little risk of injury and it does not hurt. You may be worried about walking alone. So get a partner, a friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse or a grandpa along!
I do not have time
To get health benefits from walking, you only need to walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. If it suits you to break this down and do, say, 3 sessions of 10 minutes walking in a day - that is just as good.
Here are a few ideas about fitting walking into a busy life:
Think before you drive less than a mile - walk to the local shop or post box.
Get off the bus a stop earlier.
Park the car further away from the supermarket.
Take the stairs instead of the lift.
Enjoy a walking lunch - walk to the park and eat your sandwiches.
Borrow a friends dog and take it for a walk.
Throw away the remote control.
Whats the point?
Regular walking can improve your:
Confidence
Stamina
Energy
Weight control
Life expectancy
It can reduce the risk of:
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Bowel cancer
Alzheimers disease
Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Anxiety
Stress
Walking can bring added benefits
Walks are a chance to meet people and make friends - they can be fun.
It is a gentle exercise and it is suitable if you are recovering from heart trouble, a stroke or other illness. Walking has shown to improve self esteem, relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve mood. Walking, particularly in pleasant surroundings and with other people, offers many opportunities for relaxation and social contact.
Whether you want to walk to improve your general health, to keep fit, to control your weight, or perhaps to recover from a period of ill-health, walking can help. It is something that can be done with children or older family members, it will cost you nothing and can fit in with any lifestyle, income bracket, culture or domestic circumstance.