Exercise is one of the first things doctors recommend to be fit. Exercise is defined as the performance of any physical activity for the purpose of conditioning the body, improving health, or maintaining fitness. What if there was one simple activity you could do to meet the definition of exercise? Well, there is – walking – that one-foot-in-front-of-the-other activity we’ve done without much thought since we were toddlers. Are there benefits of walking? Yes!
The benefits of walking include the following:
- Substantially reduce your risk of diabetes and diabetes related complications.
- Reduce your risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
- Lose weight.
- Lower high blood pressure.
- More freedom of movement.
- Improve depression -boost your mood.
- Ease anxiety.
- Improve sleep.
- Improve breathing.
- Sense of well-being.
- Increased self-esteem.
- Become stronger and stay fit.
Doctors recommend walking because of the benefits listed above and because it is the easiest activity you can do to stay fit.
How do you get started being fit? The first thing is to realize the goal of walking as an exercise is to help you be active and relish in its benefits. Second, to get started on a walking routine – and to stick with it – Johns Hopkins Medicine has provided these helpful tips for you to follow:
- Wear the right shoes. Pick supportive, well-fitting, comfortable shoes that are designed for walking. Make sure they have sturdy, non-slip soles.
- Use a pedometer. As stated in an article in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” in 2007, people who use pedometers increase their walking by nearly 27 percent, adding more than 2,000 steps (1 mile) to their daily tallies.
- Warm up. Before you begin your walk, get started with three to five minutes of strolling to warm up your muscles and tendons and to reduce the chance of injury.
- Start slowly. Walk at a very comfortable pace for a short distance a few days a week. Do more a little bit at a time. As you become stronger and more fit, gradually increase the distance you walk.
- Watch your posture. Walk with your head up and your eyes forward. As you walk, bend your arms 90 degrees at the elbow, and trace an arc with your hands from your hip to the center line of your chest, but no higher. Hold your hands in lose fists.
- Cool down. After you walk, cool down to allow your breathing and heart rate to decrease gradually.
- Fitness logs. Many people keep fitness logs – simple charts to record your exercise.
For general health, once you have developed a walking routine, aim for around 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, five days a week as recommended by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, so decide to make changes toward a healthier you. Go for a walk, and enjoy the beauty of the season.
Special Note: Before you begin this exercise, or any other exercise and haven’t exercised in awhile check with your doctor first.
About the Author:
Thomas R. Melton
I have diabetes type 2, and a background in medicine and mental health. I am currently a substitute teacher during the school year, and work on my blog during the full year to try to improve and add to it.
http://www.successfullivingwithdiabetes.com
http://www.tom-melton.com
