The unabated rise in fuel prices has government officials promoting Bicycling and Walking as alternative methods for going places. Not only does it save on fuel consumption but it also reduces air pollution and promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Regular physical activity, including walking and biking, has many health benefits. It boosts energy levels, builds stronger bones and muscles, improves the immune system, reduces stress, anxiety and depression, helps to with weight control and prevents chronic disease.
One month ago, I took up walking (and jogging). Prior to that, my rest pulse rate was almost close to a hundred beats per minute... my body felt heavy and sluggish and I was short of breath almost all of the time even when I'm just talking.
Now, less than one month into the program, my rest pulse rate is at 80 beats per minute, my body feels much lighter and I feel more alive than ever. The last time I felt this "healthy" was way back in high school when I used to regularly jog around the campus and I could do more than a hundred push-ups. Those were the *really* fit and healthy days.
Now I'm just right on track. My goal is to bring down my reast pulse rate to 60 beats per minute or less by being active and staying active and by leading a healthy lifestyle.
Walking is a healthy lifestyle indeed... A body in motion is a healthier body.
Here are some reasons to start walking:
- For health: walking strengthens your heart, your bones and your muscles ... and it helps to control your weight.
- For wealth: walking is free and will enrich your life in many ways.
- For happiness: walking improves your mood and helps combat depression.
- For comfort: go for a walk in your local park or wood and discover how nature can reduce stress and calm your mind.
- For joy: walk with friends and discover just how much fun walking can be!
Walking is definitely better than sitting on the couch reading a magazine or flipping through the channels on TV.
Regular walking has many positive benefits:
- It can improve your:
- Confidence
- Stamina
- Energy
- Weight Control
- Life expectancy
- And it can reduce the risk of:
- Coronary heart disease
- Strokes
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Bowel Cancer
- Alzheimer's disease
- Osteoporosis
- Arthritis
- Anxiety
- Stress
How to Get Started?
Walking is the easiest exercise to do and it is the perfect activity for health. If you can only walk for a couple of minutes and then you need to rest that's OK. Where you start from isn't important - it's where you're going that counts!
Try to walk on most days of the week - you could start with a 10-minute walk and gradually increase the time you spend walking. Don't overdo it on your first walk. If you are very unfit you may want to start by walking every other day. Build it up bit by bit and know what you are aiming for.
To get health benefits from walking, you only need to walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. If it suits you to break this down and do, say, 3 sessions of 10 minutes walking in a day, that's just as good.
Where to walk?
- In the park
- Inside the village/subdivision
- Using the stairs instead of the elevator or the escalator
- Park further away at the mall so that you have to walk all the way to the entrance
- Walk the dog (or your cat)
- Walk with your spouse (or gf, bf, or the entire family!)
- Join a walking group
- Inside the mall or supermarket (shopping!)
Time to turn the television off and get off the couch.
When walking to exercise, remember to walk briskly.
What to wear?
A pair of comfortable shoes is the only equipment required when you first start walking. If your shoes continue to be comfortable then there is no need to go for anything else.
Why 'brisk' walking is the best?
Any walking is better than none. Brisk walking is the best but, if you are unfit or have taken very little exercise recently, then gentle strolling is a good start. It is much better to start slowly and build up to walking faster rather than overdoing things at the begining.
Brisk walking is the goal because the heart reaches its natural "training zone" when it has to work a little harder than normal. And when the heart is in its training zone, it helps the body burn up fat and carbohydrates faster.
You are walking briskly when:
- your heart beats faster than normal but is not racing
- your breathing is deeper than usual but conversation is still possible
- you experience a warm glowing feeling
Ah yessss... that warm glowing feeling after a walk.
Walking is a regular activity I do almost frequently now. I really feel alive.
----------------------------------------------
"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right." - G. M. Trevelyan
"Every great journey begins with a single step." - Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching
"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk." - Raymond Inmon
No comments:
Post a Comment