Walking, we almost all do it without thinking a number of times every day and it is one of the best ways to keep you healthy and fit, if you do it often enough – something many of us DON’T do!
If just improving your basic health & fitness is your goal, forget all the crazy and expensive diets, forget the boot camps and personal trainers and just use those fantastic Free tools – your legs, more often.
It is a proven fact that physical activity doesn’t have to be vigorous or done over a long period in order to improve your health. A 2008 research study of inactive women found that even a low level of exercise – around 75 mins per week – improved participants’ fitness levels markedly, when compared to a group that did no exercise.
Walking is low impact so there is limited risk of injury, even if you are elderly, overweight or haven’t exercised for some time and contrary to popular belief is just as beneficial as running the same distance, it just takes you longer! It requires minimal equipment, can be done at any time of day or night, at your own pace and and you can do it almost anywhere.
Some of the benefits of walking
* Increases your cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness (heart and lung)
* Reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke
* Helps manage many medical conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, joint and muscle pain and stiffness.
* Improved balance and stronger bones
* Increases strength in many muscle groups and endurance
* Reduces body fat.
To get the health benefits, many studies have recommended that you take at least 10,000 steps evey day – sounds scary right? You’d be amazed to discover that you probably, depending on your job and lifestyle, already take upwards of 7,000 steps each and every day.
The best way to check this is to buy a pedometer, probably the only extra thing you might need to buy. A pedometer will measure every step you take during any particular timeframe you set and they can usually just be put in your pocket or bag and forgotten until you want to check your progress.
Moderate exercise like walking poses little health risk but, if you have an existing medical condition or have any doubts check with your doctor or physician before you start any new exercise program, they should be only too happy to help, after all the healthier you are , the less of their time you’ll take up in the future.
If you find it’s too hard to walk for 30 minutes at one time, either due to present fitness or your schedule, do regular shorter sessions to start with, say 10 minutes three times a day, remember – baby steps and gradually build up to the longer 30 minute sessions.
Try to build physical activity into your everyday life. These days it is so easy to just jump in your automobile for even the shortest journey, try to break the habit, both from home and work.
If you have a dog, make it’s day and take it for an extra walk or a longer walk each day – if you don’t, I bet you’ve got a neighbour that would be only to pleased for you to exercise their dog!
No car and you use public transport? Simply get off a stop earlier than normal and walk the rest of the way.
Even housework can help towards your goal…. think how many steps you take when you vacuum the house. The possibilities are endless and as we said before, get a simple pedometer to check your progress, you’ll be amazed at how far you can go every day.
Get yourself into a walking routine and do it as regularly as possible, for example, walk at the same time each day, you use the same amount of energy whatever the time of day you walk so make it at a convenient time for you, but remember it should be a routine, NOT a chore.
Keeping a diary or log of your exercise can also help you get into your routine and monitor your progress.
You’ll quickly find your body gets used to physical exercise, so start to increase your intensity when you are able to and therefore improve your fitness levels. You can easily increase the intensity of your walks by:
* changing your route to include walking up hills
* Take a set of small hand weights with you on your walks.
* Raise your walking speed gradually and include some quicker walking spurts
* Increasing the length of these spurts before going back to yuor normal walking pace.
* Walk for longer.
To sum up, remember we all have busy lives and you might think you can’t find the time to walk for 30 minutes a day? Try looking at it from another angle, the healthier and fitter you get, the chances are the longer you’ll have to do all the other things you enjoy – for the rest of your life.
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