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Walk With Spirit

Walking for Health. It's cheap. It's easy. And, it's good for you. So take a walk. The President's Council on Physical Fitness calls walking the most popular form of exercise. It may not get the attention of other physical activities but when it comes to sheer numbers, walking tops the list.

 

Walking is good for everyone and when it comes to participants, it's the only exercise activity that doesn't lose people as they get older. In fact, the highest number of regular walkers, according to a recent study, was men over 65.

 

When it comes to walking, the health benefits are numerous. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease says that a regular walking program can result in some of the following:

  • lower resting heart rate
  • reduce blood pressure
  • burn excess calories
  • reduce stress 
  • increase muscle tone

Obesity and high blood pressure lead to all sorts of other health problems, so a walking program can help reduce your risk of things such as heart attacks and stroke, according to The President's Council on Physical Fitness

 

Getting started

Before starting out on any exercise program, it's important to check with your doctor.

  • Have you ever been told you have heart problems?
  • When you do something active, do you get chest pain or pain on the side of your neck, or in your shoulder or arm?
  • Are you out of breath after exertion?
  • Do you have high blood pressure?
  • Do you get dizzy?
  • Do you ave joint issues, such as arthritis, that could be made worse
  • Has your life been relatively sedentary and are you over 50?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, it is very important that you discuss any exercise plan with your doctor.

How much?

So how much walking should you do? To get the benefits of walking, you just need to start, but here are some comparisons from The President's Council on Physical Fitness. You'll burn about the same amount of calories from walking or running a mile. It's also easier on your joints. And here's one of those times that being heavier pays off. Heavier people burn more calories walking the same distance than do lighter people. Don't forget to warm-up and warm down and stretch both before and after walking. Try to work your way up to about 45 minutes three to four times a week. That should be the goal, not something you do right away. Shorter distances and less time are the watchwords starting out.