EXERCISE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE VIGOROUS TO BE BENEFICIAL!!!
Walking is free to do and easy to fit into your daily routine. All you need to start walking is a sturdy pair of walking shoes.
In fact walking 30 minutes every day can maintain and improve your overall health.
Walking is also a great form of physical activity for people who are overweight, elderly, or who haven’t exercised in a long time.
The benefits of regular walking
- increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
- reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
- improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
- stronger bones and improved balance
- increased muscle strength and endurance
- reduced body fat.
- help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood.
- boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal
Walking for 30 minutes a day
To get the health benefits, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be puffing slightly. Moderate activities such as walking pose little health risk but, if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program of physical activity.
So what is a comfortable intensity for walking ?
For most people, there is little difference in the amount of energy used by walking a kilometre or running a kilometre – it’s just that walking takes longer. 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 means that you walk safely within your target heart rate, which brings about health gains.