Some of the benefits include:
- Increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
- Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
- Improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
- Stronger bones and improved balance
- Increased muscle strength and endurance
- Reduced body fat.
What gear do I need?
How long should I walk for?
To quote directly from Australia's physical activity guidelines:
"Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount. Be active on most, preferably all, days every week. Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours per week) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours per week) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week. Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week."
So in relation to walking we are aiming to get to a point where you are walking an hour a day at least 5 days a week or so. But clearly, you may not be able to just step out the door and walk for an hour, you'll need to work up to that. The Mayo Clinic has written an excellent 12 week walking plan to get someone from a standing start up to a walking pace. The basic details are as follows:
- Try to walk at least five times each week. Always start with a five-minute, slower paced walk to warm up and end with a five-minute, slower paced walk to cool down.
- Start at a pace that's comfortable for you. Then gradually pick up speed until you're walking briskly — the equivalent of 3.5 miles an hour. You should be breathing hard, but still able to carry on a conversation. Each week, add two minutes to your walking time.
| Week | Warm-up | Brisk walking | Cool-down |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 minutes | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 2 | 5 minutes | 7 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 3 | 5 minutes | 9 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 4 | 5 minutes | 11 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 5 | 5 minutes | 13 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 6 | 5 minutes | 15 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 7 | 5 minutes | 18 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 8 | 5 minutes | 20 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 9 | 5 minutes | 23 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 10 | 5 minutes | 26 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 11 | 5 minutes | 28 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 12 | 5 minutes | 30 minutes | 5 minutes |
Walking at this level should be manageable for most people, but its always recommended that you talk with your doctor if you've been sedentary for a long time or you have serious health issues.
How do I keep it interesting and fun?
Some suggestions to help make regular walking a pleasurable form of physical activity include varying where you walk, walking the dog, walking with friends and joining a walking club. If you want to stick close to home and limit your walking to neighbourhood streets, pick different routes so you don’t get tired of seeing the same sights. If you feel unsafe walking alone, find one or more friends or family members to walk with.
Walk at various times of the day. The sights to see first thing in the morning are bound to be different from those of the afternoon or early evening. Drive to different reserves, park the car and enjoy the views while you walk. Use music to keep you occupied (but always remember your personal safety when using headphones)
Will I lose weight?
Can I just keep doing this?
Our body tends to get used to physical activity, so continue to increase your intensity as you are able to improve your fitness levels. You can increase the intensity of your walks by:
- Walking up hills
- Walking with hand weights
- Increasing your walking speed gradually by including some quick walking (walk as fast as you can to the next lamp post and then relax until the next one and so forth)
- Increasing the distance you walk quickly before returning to a moderate walking pace
- Walking for longer
- Add lunges, squats, pushups or other muscle strengthening exercises to your routine
If you sit for much of the day for work or leisure, there are significant risks for your health. Some have even called sitting "the new smoking". Apart from doing obvious things to break up your sitting, any increased incidental exercise is good for you. Here's some more ideas:
- Take the stairs instead of the lift (for at least part of the way).
- Get off public transport one stop earlier and walk to work or home.
- Do housework like vacuuming (turn the music up and work up a sweat)
- Walk (don’t drive) to the local shops.
- Walk the dog (or your neighbour’s dog).
NOW GET GOING!
Lyndal @ Lean Green and Healthy
For more information:
Better Health Channel Victoria: Walking for Good Health
Mayo Clinic 12 week walking schedule
Sydney Morning Herald: A smarter weight loss workout
US News; Why 10,000 steps a day won't make you thin
Australia's physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines
