Walking – The Promoter of Good Health
Physical activity is not always vigorous or lengthy in hours in order to improve your health. Walking is suitable for most people. Walking is the most convenient, simple, less economical and involves lesser risk than any other more vigorous forms of exercise. Regular walking can help you lose body fat, maintain a healthy weight, improve your fitness, Increase heart and lung fitness, Improved management of conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, Stronger bones and improved balance, Increased muscle strength and endurance and reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Physical activity built into a daily lifestyle plan is also one of the most effective ways to assist with weight loss and keep weight off once it’s lost. Here are some ways to build walking into your daily routine: Try taking the stairs instead of the lift (for at least part of the way). Get off public transport one stop earlier and walk to work or home. Do housework like vacuuming. Walk (don’t drive) to the local shops. Walk the dog. To get the health benefits, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can regularly. but, if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program of physical activity. Plan to cover a set distance each day and monitor how long it takes you to walk this distance. As your fitness improves, you will be able to walk a longer distance and use more energy. Walking fast burns more kilojoules per hour than walking slowly, but this doesn’t mean you have to push yourself until you’re breathless. Instead, pace yourself so that you can still talk. This simple rule of thumb enables you to walk safely within your target heart rate, which brings about health gains. The body has a tendency to get used to physical activity, so continue to increase your intensity over subsequent sessions and thus improve your fitness levels. You can increase the intensity of your walks by: Walking up hills. Walking with hand weights, Increasing your walking speed gradually by incorporating bouts of quick walking, Increasing the distance you walk quickly before returning to a moderate walking pace. Wearing a pedometer helps to measure, monitor and compare the number of steps while walking. The recommended number of steps accumulated per day to achieve health benefits is 10,000 steps or more. General walking tips - If you have not walked distances for some time, you should start slowly. Increase the length and pace of your walk gradually. Here are some tips on how to get started and how to prepare for walking. Warm-up activity - start slowly, do a few warm-up exercises and stretches first. Don’t walk immediately after a big meal. Build activity slowly - start with a 20 minute walk then increase gradually. Try to walk at least three times per week. Use the correct technique - walk at a steady pace, swing your arms freely and stand as straight as you can. Your feet should step in a rolling action from the heel to the toe. Shoes and socks- wear thick comfortable cotton socks. Sensible, comfortable and lightweight shoes with support are best. Weather - wear suitable warm, light clothing in the winter and cool, comfortable clothes in the summer. Don’t forget your sunscreen and hat. Water - drink water before and after your walk. Take water with you on your walk, especially in warm weather. Cool down - make sure you cool down after a long fast walk. Do a few stretching exercises.