​Walking to improve fitness
Walking comes naturally to us all, but by adding more of it to your daily routine; you can burn calories and feel fitter with little impact on your day. There isn’t any formal training needed and there’s no expensive gear to buy. All you need is comfortable footwear and a little determination; then you’re set to walk your way to fitness. Here’s how…
Walking for the absolute beginner
Walking is a skill we learn from an early age and can be turned to throughout our lives as a fantastic way to exercise no matter what our fitness level. To gain health benefits however, we need to walk regularly (30 minutes at least 5 days a week) or incorporate it into a regular exercise programme.
The good news for beginners is you don’t have to set aside any extra exercise time (if that’s always been the stumbling block for you). You can incorporate walking into your daily lifestyle and include walking to the shops, walking to work etc. in preference to taking the car. You can get off the bus 2 stops earlier, maybe use the stairs instead of the elevator, or park a little further away from the supermarket door. Any small changes you make throughout each day will help you get off to a great start, burn calories and get you feeling healthier. Just by walking around the office instead of sitting at your desk all day you can burn hundreds of extra calories – the equivalent of an hour at the gym!
Here’s what you need to do if you want to make a big difference:
The health benefits
Many people don’t realise that walking can have a positive effect on your health. To achieve the health benefits from regular walking your walks should be brisk enough to make your body warm, bring colour to your cheeks and make your heart beat faster. If you manage to walk regularly (at least 5 times per week), there are numerous health benefits;
Weight loss and walking
Brisk walking is a fantastic cardio exercise that will give you great health benefits just as long as you work hard enough. A slow stroll in the park is certainly a great starting point but if your primary goal is weight loss you’ll need to up the ante so that you raise your heart rate a little. Walking and weight loss doesn’t happen overnight, although if you combine walking with other activities and a calorie reduced diet you’re sure to reach your goals sooner. Regular walking increases your metabolism which means that you still burn calories when at rest, as your muscles replenish glycogen ready for your next walk. You can achieve weight loss results and feel healthier in as little as two weeks of a walking programme.
Reaching a plateau
Our bodies very cleverly adapt to regular exercise; if you continue doing the same programme over and over again, the benefits will start to slow. Here are some top tips to help you stay on top of your game and avoid a plateau;
Pedometers
Pedometers are great motivational tools used to count the number of steps you take each day. They can be worn by almost anyone and are so small and discreet they can be worn without anyone knowing you are using one (e.g. in a pocket).
Many of us become motivated when we have a focus or goal to reach. Pedometers are great at giving us a focus by recording the total number of steps taken in any one day, the motivation and drive inside us then challenges us to improve on this number the following day.
It’s not unusual to total 3,000 steps per day just by completing daily activities and without adding in any extra exercise or walking. By completing 6,000-10,000 steps per day at a moderate intensity level you will burn more calories. Sustain 6,000-10,000 daily steps to aid weight management.
Pedometers are a great motivational tool that can be used to count and record the total number of steps you take during any time period and convert this into distance. Pedometers will provide you with direct feedback during your exercise programme and some models will record your speed and calories burned.
Depending on the information you require from a pedometer and your personal preference of model they can be worn as wrist watches, around the neck or clipped to your waistband. More expensive models are generally more accurate (triple axis) and have improved functionality so invest time in selecting a model that incorporates the features important to you.
Nordic walking
Nordic walking incorporates specially designed poles that enhance your walking experience. The addition of these poles means that your upper body has to work hard to ensure the correct technique and posture is used throughout. The muscles in your back will be strengthened as they are involved in this process too. Recent studies by the Cooper Institute, Dallas, showed that Nordic walking burned more calories and increased oxygen consumption than normal walking. With around a 60% increase in calorie burn compared to normal walking, isn’t it time you reached for the poles?
Joining a club
While some people like the idea of walking alone in the tranquil countryside and experiencing the great outdoors without being disturbed, others would much prefer to enjoy sharing the experience alongside other like-minded people.
Why not consider joining a walking club to enjoy more benefits…?
Summary
Walking is a fun and healthy pastime whether you are starting out, or are a long-term member of a walking club. It has countless health benefits but is often overlooked when considering forms of exercise. The fact that you can get all the exercise you need, whilst enjoying the beautiful countryside and taking fresh air into your lungs might make you ask why you’ve not discovered it sooner!
Walking for the absolute beginner
Walking is a skill we learn from an early age and can be turned to throughout our lives as a fantastic way to exercise no matter what our fitness level. To gain health benefits however, we need to walk regularly (30 minutes at least 5 days a week) or incorporate it into a regular exercise programme.
The good news for beginners is you don’t have to set aside any extra exercise time (if that’s always been the stumbling block for you). You can incorporate walking into your daily lifestyle and include walking to the shops, walking to work etc. in preference to taking the car. You can get off the bus 2 stops earlier, maybe use the stairs instead of the elevator, or park a little further away from the supermarket door. Any small changes you make throughout each day will help you get off to a great start, burn calories and get you feeling healthier. Just by walking around the office instead of sitting at your desk all day you can burn hundreds of extra calories – the equivalent of an hour at the gym!
Here’s what you need to do if you want to make a big difference:
- Investing in good quality footwear to allow your feet to stay comfortable and ensure they are correctly supported during exercise. If you get sore feet, you won’t be able to exercise.
- It’s important to set realistic and achievable goals; challenge yourself but don’t set yourself up to fail. Don’t push yourself too far; the emphasis should be on walking regularly rather than walking for long periods of time. Start with small regular walks (say 10 minutes) and increase the length of the walks gradually as you become stronger. Motivate yourself with rewards and you’ll find you push yourself harder to succeed.
- Build your walking time to a minimum of 30 minutes, at least 5 times per week. This may seem like a lot of exercise but you can split your 30 minutes throughout the day to make it more manageable i.e. 15 minutes walking to work, 15 minutes walking to get your lunch and you’re done!
- Don’t forget to include a warm up and cool down as part of your new routine as this will help prevent injury.
- Stretching helps maintain good posture and reduces muscle shortening. It also helps reduce muscle soreness so when you’re starting out on a new programme this is essential.
- Keep your body hydrated. If you are sweating you will need to replenish your lost fluids as sweating helps regulate your body temperature. Dehydration can also make you feel artificially tired.
The health benefits
Many people don’t realise that walking can have a positive effect on your health. To achieve the health benefits from regular walking your walks should be brisk enough to make your body warm, bring colour to your cheeks and make your heart beat faster. If you manage to walk regularly (at least 5 times per week), there are numerous health benefits;
- You will become physically fitter and stronger. This allows you to increase the amount of walking you do, improve your energy levels throughout the day and hopefully improve your quality of sleep.
- You will certainly feel the spring in your step as endorphins, the feel good hormones begin to increase in your blood stream giving you an improved feeling of wellbeing.
- Brisk walking will increase your metabolism which is great for burning calories.
- Regular walking will help reduce health risks such as heart disease and some cancers.
- Regular walking will help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Walking is categorised as a low impact activity which means that it’s kinder to your ankle and knee joints than other high impact sports like running. Walking will increase bone density making fractures less likely too. If you’re overweight or new to exercise – begin slowly whilst your muscle tone improves.
- Walking aids flexibility, posture and helps improve balance.
- Increases vitamin D levels naturally (if you walk outside in daylight the skin produces its very own vitamin D). Vitamin D helps to reduce osteoporosis, fractures and lowers risk of diabetes.
Weight loss and walking
Brisk walking is a fantastic cardio exercise that will give you great health benefits just as long as you work hard enough. A slow stroll in the park is certainly a great starting point but if your primary goal is weight loss you’ll need to up the ante so that you raise your heart rate a little. Walking and weight loss doesn’t happen overnight, although if you combine walking with other activities and a calorie reduced diet you’re sure to reach your goals sooner. Regular walking increases your metabolism which means that you still burn calories when at rest, as your muscles replenish glycogen ready for your next walk. You can achieve weight loss results and feel healthier in as little as two weeks of a walking programme.
Reaching a plateau
Our bodies very cleverly adapt to regular exercise; if you continue doing the same programme over and over again, the benefits will start to slow. Here are some top tips to help you stay on top of your game and avoid a plateau;
- Spice it up a little. Change your route to incorporate uneven surfaces and hills to challenge different muscle groups along the way.
- Change the pace of your walking with intervals of fast walking to really get the heart beating faster.
- You can use a treadmill or Nautilus Walking Machine to add variety to your training. These machines also enable you to continue walking indoors when the weather is bad outside.
- Try to incorporate other activities such as cycling, swimming and strength/resistance training, especially if your primary goal is weight loss.
- Tiredness can be caused by a lack of good nutrition. Try to follow a healthy balanced nutritional plan that includes high energy foods to fuel your muscles and replenish energy stores.
- It’s important to refocus and revisit your goals regularly, as they will probably change over time. Your programme must be progressive and challenge you as you improve.
Pedometers
Pedometers are great motivational tools used to count the number of steps you take each day. They can be worn by almost anyone and are so small and discreet they can be worn without anyone knowing you are using one (e.g. in a pocket).
Many of us become motivated when we have a focus or goal to reach. Pedometers are great at giving us a focus by recording the total number of steps taken in any one day, the motivation and drive inside us then challenges us to improve on this number the following day.
It’s not unusual to total 3,000 steps per day just by completing daily activities and without adding in any extra exercise or walking. By completing 6,000-10,000 steps per day at a moderate intensity level you will burn more calories. Sustain 6,000-10,000 daily steps to aid weight management.
Pedometers are a great motivational tool that can be used to count and record the total number of steps you take during any time period and convert this into distance. Pedometers will provide you with direct feedback during your exercise programme and some models will record your speed and calories burned.
Depending on the information you require from a pedometer and your personal preference of model they can be worn as wrist watches, around the neck or clipped to your waistband. More expensive models are generally more accurate (triple axis) and have improved functionality so invest time in selecting a model that incorporates the features important to you.
Nordic walking
Nordic walking incorporates specially designed poles that enhance your walking experience. The addition of these poles means that your upper body has to work hard to ensure the correct technique and posture is used throughout. The muscles in your back will be strengthened as they are involved in this process too. Recent studies by the Cooper Institute, Dallas, showed that Nordic walking burned more calories and increased oxygen consumption than normal walking. With around a 60% increase in calorie burn compared to normal walking, isn’t it time you reached for the poles?
Joining a club
While some people like the idea of walking alone in the tranquil countryside and experiencing the great outdoors without being disturbed, others would much prefer to enjoy sharing the experience alongside other like-minded people.
Why not consider joining a walking club to enjoy more benefits…?
- You will be motivated to walk more regularly.
- You will be encouraged by others in your club.
- Routes and walks are planned in – so you’ll get regular walks without having to plan out your day yourself, all you have to do is enjoy the scenery.
- Experienced leaders will offer any necessary support and guidance and can provide knowledge of additional walks that may interest you.
- Meeting new friends is inevitable, there will be a wide range of people and you will all have at least one common interest.
Summary
Walking is a fun and healthy pastime whether you are starting out, or are a long-term member of a walking club. It has countless health benefits but is often overlooked when considering forms of exercise. The fact that you can get all the exercise you need, whilst enjoying the beautiful countryside and taking fresh air into your lungs might make you ask why you’ve not discovered it sooner!