Fitness boot camps, running marathons and martial arts may be too much to handle if you are new or returning to an exercise plan. Yet, there is one exercise anyone can do despite their fitness level — walking.
Often called the easiest exercise, walking benefits the individual and the environment. According to walkinginfo.org, walking has many health benefits including “reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases; lower health care costs; and improved quality of life.” Walking briskly for 30 minutes daily can “improve your energy level and mood (and) aid in weight loss,” the site suggests. But, there is more to walking for exercise than putting one foot in front of the other.
Joelle Akridge, director of recreation ministries at Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, believes wearing shoes that fit well is important when starting a walking program.
“Make sure your shoes fit the right way and you have good socks on so you don’t get blisters,” she said. “If you are buying new shoes, if you have any idea that (you) may turn into a runner, the recommendation is that you buy a size bigger so your toenails don’t hit the end of the shoes all the time.
“(In) running specialty stores like Fleet Feet and Trac Shack, their folks are trained to look at how you walk and any special issues that would require you to use a certain kind of shoe,” Akridge said. “If your ankles roll to the outside (heavier weight on the outside of your foot outline) or roll to the inside (show heavier pressure on inside ball and heel), they make shoes that correct that.”
In addition to a good fit, thewalkingsite.com recommends walking shoes with “a low heel” and “flexible sole” made from “lightweight and breathable fabric.”
Once you have a good pair of shoes, a little determination is all that’s needed to begin or maintain a walking program.
Walkinginfo.org advises walkers to “set reasonable goals, build gradually and keep your activity fun” by using the following tips:
• Add more steps into your day by taking the stairs or parking farther away.
• Walk … one daily trip for which you’d normally drive the car.
• Get a walking buddy or take a family walk after dinner.
• Walk a child to school or participate in a Walk to School Day event.
• Walk through your neighborhood and rate it’s “walkability.”
• Take walking meetings at work.
• Keep a daily activity log. Estimate the mileage you walked or the minutes you spent doing something active.
• Buy a pedometer and consider wearing it all day long.
• Form a walking group with a regular schedule. There is encouragement in numbers.
Stretching before and after beginning a walking program is also important to prevent injury and pain. The Walking Site encourages walkers to “perform ankle circles and toe points” and “stretch your calves and shins.”
Then, whether you plot a path or simply walk out your front door down the street, start walking.
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Helpful resources:
www.fitness.gov
www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity
www.health.gov/paguidelines
www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc
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