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The Fitness and Health Report
Information for a Healthy Life
March 2002, Issue 32
Walk This Way
We are a
society preoccupied with thinness, and yet our lifestyle patterns are
influenced by an overabundance of nutrition lacking food choices and
decreased opportunities and motivation for physical activity.
A Weighty Issue
Obesity is now recognized as a major public health problem throughout our life
cycles. Obese children are more likely to become obese adolescents, and
obese adolescents are more likely to become obese adults. Obesity has
numerous health-related effects, as well as social consequences, such as
lower wages, less likelihood of marriage, less education, and stigma.
In recent studies by the U.S. Surgeon General, approximately 25 percent of American
adults are completely sedentary, and more than 60 percent are not
regularly active at the recommended level of 30 minutes per day. About 14
percent of young people between 12 and 21 years of age report no recent
physical activity. Nearly one half of young persons between these ages are
not vigorously active. An estimated 300,000 preventable deaths occur each
year in the United States because of unhealthy diet and physical
inactivity.
All of this is resulting in a massive industry of diet plans, diet pills and miracle
fitness products. It is human nature to strive for the path of least
resistance. When it comes to weight loss we want our Big Mac, sedentary
life style and a sleek physique too.
The facts are everyone needs to exercise. Our bodies are designed to be physically
active. When exercise is not part of our daily regimen you become
susceptible to coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, weakness, diabetes,
obesity and depression.
Now for the Good News
The good news is that you do not have to be a fanatic to gain from the benefits of
exercising. A gradual and moderate workout program can have a significant
impact on not only your overall well being, but also your weight.
One of best forms of exercise to lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health is
walking. Walking is the everyman (woman) form of exercise. The benefits
are numerous. It allows you to escape stress, lburn calories, boost your
energy, lower your blood pressure, raise your HDL (good) cholesterol and
reduce your risk of diabetes and osteoporosis. And you can do it anytime,
anyplace.
Experts suggest that you exercise at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week. However, 10
minutes may be a good start for those who have been sedentary in the past.
As you progress, you don't necessarily have to walk single long bouts to
lose the maximum amount of weight. Research has shown that short bouts of
exercise were as beneficial as those obtained with long bouts. You can
walk 10 minutes 3-4 times a day and get the same results as walking for 40
minutes.
Here are a few other intriguing facts about walking:
- One hour of brisk walking at 5 miles per hour, or 12 minutes per mile, burns
530 calories versus 480 from jogging. Surprised? In actuality walkers
take more steps and use their arms more often, consequently exerting
themselves more then runners.
- Walking one mile in 16 minutes lowers your cholesterol levels the same amount as
running a mile in 7- 10 minutes.
- Walking is easier on your joints. A walker's foot lands with only 1.5 times the
force of body weight. Running on average puts three times the force on
your feet.
- Weather doesn't need to be a determining factor with walking. You get the same
health benefits from walking inside on a treadmill as if you walk
outside, says Dr. Rippe, MD, a cardiologist and associate professor of
medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He recommends adding
several degrees of incline to increase the workout and simulate uphill
walking. By walking on an inclined treadmill at a normal pace you can
burn the same amount of calories as a jogger on a flat surface, and once
again avoid the additional impact.
- Walking is an equal opportunity form of exercise. Walking does not require
athletic ability or a great deal of coordination. Everyone knows how to
walk. It is a no-excuse form of exercise.
Suggestions on the art of walking:
- Use
walking shoes in comparison to running shoes. Running shoes have higher
heals and are designed for the stride of jogging. For a walker they can
cause shin pains.
- Do some
light stretching before and after your walk. It is important to keep
your lower back, legs and shins loose. Also, stretch out your Achilles
tendon, hamstring, quadriceps and calf muscles.
- Simplify, simplify, simplify, according to Martin Rudow, former
Olympic walking coach. "Walking with hand weights, ski poles, and the
like adds little or nothing to a workout. They might increase your heart
rate a bit or build some different muscles, but they also slow down the
pace and complicate things," says Rudow.
- Relax
when you walk. Part of the benefits of exercise is to reduce tension.
Consciously make an effort to calm yourself. You not only want to
benefit your body but also your mind. Achieve a feeling of tranquillity
and your entire day will improve.
- Do not
over stride or over reach with your arms. You want to simulate a natural
motion. In the process make sure that you stand up straight.
- Drink adequate amounts of fluids and keep your body hydrated at all times.
If you are not convinced of the value of walking here are a few parting statistics:
- Walking just three hours a week cuts the risk of heart attack and stroke in
women ages 40 to 65 by 40 percent (Harvard Medical School).
- Women who walk 40-45 minutes five times a week are sick with colds or the flu
half as often as sedentary women (Appalachian State University).
- You can lose about 18 pounds a year--without dieting--if you walk 45 minutes,
four times a week (University of Massachusetts Medical School).
A good source of information on walking is http://www.internetfitness.com/walking.htm.
You'll find a variety of articles by Therese Iknoian, who is a leading
authority and has competed internationally.
So what are you waiting for? Take a walk.
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