Walking for Exercise
63When: Wednesday, April 16th
What: National Start! Walking Day
Where: Any place you'd like, but be sure to bring your sneakers!
This Wednesday marks the 2nd annual National Start! Walking Day, initiated by the American Heart Association, AHA, to increase awareness of the importance of exercising for health. When you consider that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, due in part to physical inactivity, you can understand the importance of walking for exercise.
Why should you join in on the 16th, or better yet, make walking for exercise part of your regular routine? It's simple; think about all the possible benefits from a few brisk walks each week: lower blood pressure, weight loss, reduced stress, lower cholesterol, and perhaps best of all, an increase in energy.
Even people with various disabilities have benefited from walking. Since it is such a gentle exercise, it's often included in arthritis exercise programs, particularly for people with knee arthritis and hip pain, and is also integrated into many post-surgery rehabilitation programs.
Need some motivation to get you going? Try to find a walking buddy, or join a walking club. With spring in the air it shouldn't be so hard to get yourself out and about. Get even more motivation by wearing a pedometer. Research has found that people who wear a pedometer walk about 2,000 more steps a day than those who don't. A pedometer will also help you evaluate your progress more easily. Make sure you're wearing one that's accurate. If you're having difficulty finding one, check out americaonthemove.org. That's where I purchased mine for $24.95 and it works well.
Depending on your goals you may want to use these general guidelines for optimal health benefits.
Overall health: 30 minutes a day at a comfortable pace, as many days a week as time permits.
Cardiovascular benefit: 20-30 minutes, at a brisk pace, 4-5 times a week.
Weight loss: 45-60 minutes, at a brisk pace, 5 days a week.
What are you waiting for, grab your sneakers and hit the road!
For more on walking for exercise and other exercise and pain relief tips please visit my new website, back-exercise-and-pain-relief.com
