Walking for Your Health

Walking is a low-impact activity that can provide excellent health benefits, even with a modest commitment of time and energy. In fact, walking can earn the same basic effects of a running program without the added strain on joints that running can cause.

If you would like to walk as a form of exercise but are concerned whether or not you will be getting a good enough workout, just make sure that you are raising your heart rate sufficiently, however the rate should be one that you can comfortably maintain for 30-60 minutes. (If you have any concerns about whether walking is right for you, please do consult your doctor or a trained fitness instructor, especially if you have a chronic cardiac condition.)

According to The Walking Site, using hand weights while walking can cause unnecessary muscle and ligament strain, and can also raise your blood pressure. It is actually recommended that you use weights during a separate portion of your workout routine and avoid trying to combine the two.

If you are walking to lose weight, the average walker burns 100 calories per mile walked. Combining a sensible diet with a reasonable increase in aerobic exercise can indeed result in weight loss. Remember that multiple lifestyle changes---including exercise and diet---are the key to maintaining your weight or losing extra pounds.

Walking can also be integrated into your daily routine at home and at work. Many people who are serious about using walking as the mainstay of their fitness program use a pedometer to count the number of steps that they take each day, a general goal being 10,000 steps, the equivalent of approximately 5 miles (depending, of course, on the length of your stride). If you begin wearing a pedometer, you'll most likely find that you will start to make different decisions about how you go about your day. Waiting in Town Hall or the Bangs Center for the elevator, you'll soon realize that taking the stairs will not only be quicker but will also add many needed steps towards your daily goal!

If you would like more information on walking for exercise, Medicine.net has an excellent page of walking resources.

Walking is a safe, low-impact form of aerobic exercise that requires little financial investment other than a pair of quality walking shoes or sneakers, and perhaps a pedometer for those who would like some behavior modification thrown into the mix. Please visit the websites that we mentioned, and remember to consult your doctor if you have any doubts or questions about whether walking for fitness is the right exercise choice for you.

And remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

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Keith Carlson, RN

Public Health Nurse