This article is courtesy of Mature Living magazine
Maybe you’re not into the health club scene. Maybe you feel too uncoordinated to participate in an aerobics class. Or, maybe you’re the outdoorsy type who can’t stand spending an hour inside doing an exercise video or riding a stationary bike.
If you fit into any of these categories, then fitness walking is the perfect solution for you. Make sure you have your doctor’s permission, and then get started.
Why Walk?
Walking is by far the most popular form of exercise, and it’s one of the best and most convenient fitness activities around. You don’t have to invest in an expensive piece of equipment, join a gym, read a book, hire a trainer, or watch an instructor. Just slip on a pair of good walking shoes, and put one foot in front of the other.
Walking, though it seems easy when compared to other aerobic activities, has many health benefits. Studies show that walking briskly on a regular basis can improve the body’s ability to consume oxygen during exertion, lower the resting heart rate, reduce blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and increase the heart and lung efficiency.
Here are five more reasons you should be walking:
1. Walking will help you live longer. One 12-year study of retired men showed that those who walked more than two miles per day lived longer than those who walked less than a mile a day. This is true for women, too.
2. Walking helps you lose weight. Women who walk more than four hours a week are less likely to gain weight in their waist area. In fact, walking burns about the same number of calories per mile as running.
3. Walking wards off osteoporosis. Women over the age of 50 who currently walk more than 30 minutes a day are 20 percent less likely to develop dowager’s hump as a result of osteoporosis.
4. Walking helps reduce stress. Regular fitness walkers report a decrease in sleepless nights and an increase in positive moods. Walking causes your body to release endorphins, which lessen the effect of stress hormones.
5. Walking poses few health risks. Because it is not as strenuous as running, cycling, swimming, or other types of aerobic exercise, walking poses almost no risk to your overall health. With that said, you should always consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. This is especially true if you suffer from high blood pressure or other cardiovascular problems.
What You Need
To begin a walking program, you should:
- Invest in a good pair of walking shoes and wear them on every fitness walk.
- Wear comfortable clothing for your workouts – brightly colored if you walk at night.
- Try to walk at least 20 minutes at a steady pace three times a week. Increase your workout time, intensity, and frequency as your fitness level improves.
- Choose different routes so you won’t get bored with your walking workout. You also can fight boredom by listening to upbeat music or motivational tapes.
- Have fun. Walk with friends or family and get fit together.
Michelle Medlock Adams , of Fort Worth, Texas, is a full-time freelance writer and author of five books, including Daily Wisdom for Mothers: A 365-Day Devotional (to be published April 2004). She is a wife and the mother of two daughters.