Benefits of Walking:
✓ Prevents type 2 diabetes & keeps weight down
✓ Improves your cognitive function – it’s good for your brain!
✓ Reduces blood cholesterol & lowers blood pressure
✓ Increases cardiovascular endurance & improves efficiency of lungs
✓ Reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer
✓ Boosts bone strength
✓ Burns calories & raises metabolism even while you rest
✓ Aids in maintaining healthy skin due to increased circulation
✓ Improves bone density and reduces risk of osteoporosis
✓ Helps to alleviate stress and depression
✓ Helps control appetite & promotes intestinal regularity
✓ Increases energy & slows aging
✓ Strengthens your heart & aids rehabilitation from heart attack and stroke
✓ Strengthens legs, hips, and torso muscles
✓ Reduces stiffness in joints due to inactivity or arthritis
✓ Relieves most cases of chronic backache
✓ Improves flexibility and posture
How To Start:
Walk short distances – Begin with a five-minute stroll and gradually increase your distance.
Forget about speed – Walk at a comfortable pace. Focus on good posture, keeping your head lifted and shoulders relaxed.
Swing your arms naturally – Breathe deeply. If you can’t catch your breath, slow down or avoid hills.
Be sure that you can talk while walking – If you can’t converse, you are walking too fast.
Track your progress – log details about how long and how far you went on each walk and how you felt while you were walking. You’ll be amazed from seeing your progress as you go further and longer.
*NOTE: Before starting any walking plan, talk with your doctor if you have serious health issues, or if you’re older than age 40 and you’ve been inactive recently.
In addition to walking, add strength training exercises — such as pushups and lunges — to your routine. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults include aerobic exercise and strength training in their fitness plans, specifically:
- At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity a week
- Strength training exercises of all the major muscle groups at least twice a week