Feeling out of shape?  Looking for a great way to lose weight?  Can’t afford a gym membership?  Don’t worry.  Perhaps the single best exercise to improve your overall health is something you can do anywhere.  Better yet, the only equipment you’ll need is a good pair of shoes. What are we talking about?  Walking, of course.

 

Good For You

 

According to the Mayo Clinic, brisk walking can help you achieve the following health benefits:

 

“Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)

Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)

Lower your blood pressure

Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes

Manage your weight

Improve your mood

Stay strong and fit”

 

With so many benefits it’s a wonder more people aren’t already walking. Why aren’t you?  Not enough time?  Too hard to stick to a routine?  Were meaning to, but haven’t found the right moment?  There are plenty of reasons people give for failing to start exercising, yet if you think about it a walking routine is easy to fit into your day if you’re just willing to take that first step.

 

Getting Started

 

To help insure you succeed in your new walking routine, try these 10 steps for getting started:

 

(1) Check With Your Doctor First: Before beginning any exercise program it’s a good idea to check with your doctor to learn of any unknown risks.  You’ll want to tell him you plan to start a walking routine and make sure you’re both on the same page.  This is important: Most people can walk without problems, but some may have heart health issues or significant knee or joint issues that require special care or planning.

 

(2) Get Good Shoes: Invest in a good pair of walking shoes.  You want a pair that fits well and  has the right arch support.  In addition, you may want to place inserts in your shoes for better support and/or comfort. Good shoes will help keep foot, ankle and knee pain to a minimum.

 

(3) Start small:  Try 5 or 10 minute walks when you’re first starting out and build your way up.  Just remember any walking is better than no walking so take as many small walks as you need to reach your daily goal.  Think about it: In 5 or 10 minute increments you can even tuck in a small walk during a work break.

 

(4) Start slow:  Spend a few minutes walking slowly to allow your body and muscles to wake up.  Then try to shift into a higher gear—what we call a brisk walk.  The Center For Disease Control suggests brisk walking is a pace of about 3 miles per hour.  However, depending on factors like age, weight an overall health, this could vary.    As a rule of thumb and without any other way to measure it, some say a brisk pace is the point where talking becomes marginally more difficult—you can still talk in full sentences, but you probably can’t sing out loud without it sounding a bit choppy (Source: BellaOnline.com).

 

(5) Use a pedometer: Consider buying a pedometer which will record the number of steps you take walking. According to WalkingSite.Com, your goal should be to eventually get in “10,000 steps a day…A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day.” This site recommends adding 500 steps each week until you reach 10,000.

 

(6) Dress appropriately: Buy the clothing you need to walk outside every day—even in winter.  You’ll want a good hat to keep the wind off your ears and a “shell” to keep rain and wind off.  Fresh air beats stale home or gym air any day.  You’ll be amazed at how much more alive you feel by walking outside.  However, be sure to locate a good indoor alternative for days when heavy rain, ice, or snow gets in the way.  For example, you could try the local mall, a covered parking garage, outdoor walkways at a local school, or anywhere you can find some shelter.

 

 

(7) Change Up Old Routines: You can add more walking into your daily routines, just by altering a few old habits.  Park your car in a spot further from your desk or further from the front entrance to the stores you frequent.  Suggest a walk instead of a lunch when meeting business associates.  Ride a ferry to work?  Then walk around the deck during your crossing.  Have a grocery store nearby?  Grab a small backpack and then walk instead of drive to do all your shopping.

 

(8) Find some different walking routes:  Just getting outside air and stretching your legs can be enough for some, but if you find you’re getting bored during your walks consider changing up your routine.  Check around the area for walking paths, parks, places to do short day hikes, etc.  Also, try to avoid taking the same route every day.  You might hit the next block over or simply reverse course once in awhile—you may be surprised how different things look coming from the other direction.  There’s one other thing to consider here, too: If you do the same thing all the time, you’re more likely to fall into a pattern where you don’t pay attention to the world all around you.  If you want to get out of your head, mix it up!

 

(9) Stick With It:  Generally, any walking routine should ultimately end up being at least 30 minutes a day for 5 to 7 days a week (again check in with your doctor before you decide this is the right goal for you).  However, don’t worry if it’s too hard to reach your goal in the beginning, and don’t feel like you’re a bad person if you miss a day.  Just get back to it tomorrow.  It’s far better to start with small victories then quit over frustration.  For that reason, it can also be helpful to start a walking journal. That way you look back you can see your progress.

 

(10) Find a walking buddy.  Finally, one of the surest ways to start a successful walking routine is to start walking with a friend.  Ideally, you want someone with a similar schedule to your own.  Motivating yourself to go out everyday can feel hard, but it’s much easier when you’ve got a friend to accompany you or help pump you up you on those days when feel you’d rather imitate the cat, curl up in a ball, and lie in the sun.

 

Sitting There Is Killing You

 

If you think a simple walking routine is just too hard, consider that the worst thing you can do for your health is continue to do nothing.  According to the government’s Health and Human Services Website, at least one study “linked sedentary lifestyles to 23 percent of deaths from major chronic diseases.”  And another study concluded, “14 percent of all deaths in the United States were attributed to activity patterns and diet.”  The bottom line, it’s critical to do something to stay active.

 

Why not take up one of the easiest, most pleasant exercise routines of all?  Isn’t it time you started walking?

 

By Bob Anderson
© 2012 Javabird LLC.  All rights reserved.

About your author:  I’ve been walking at least 30 to 40 minutes a day for 5 to 7 days a week the past eight years.  Walking helps me keep weight off, improves my mental focus, helps with stress, has helped lower my cholesterol, and is an activity I love doing with my spouse. If you’re looking for a great way to start exercising, I’d recommend walking to most anyone.

For additional information on this topic see:

Walking: The Easiest Exercise – AARP
WalkingInfo.Org 
CambridgeMA.Gov – Health Benefits of Walking

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