Walk for Your Health
Q and A with Trainer Chris Powell
This is the time of year when the weather is perfect to take a stroll. So the Sweet Connection editors asked Chris to talk about walking for your health.
Is walking really that good for me?
Walking isn’t just good for you – it’s GREAT for you!!
Recent Studies have proven that walking can:
- Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce high cholesterol
- Reduce body fat
- Enhance mental well being
- Increase bone density, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis
- Reduce the risk of non insulin dependant diabetes
- Help osteoarthritis
Whether you walk to improve health, keep fit, lose weight, or recover from injury or illness, walking can help significantly. Walkers have been proven to have one half the risk of cardiovascular disease than unfit sedentary individuals, and have even shown to have reduced mortality rates. This means that regular walkers live longer!!
Walkers also develop increased coordination through nervous system stimulation. Because of this they have stronger stabilizer muscles, stronger joints, and reduce the risk of falling.
Walking for Cardiovascular Fitness
Any kind of walking is great for the body, but to increase cardiovascular fitness, you should try to walk at least every other day for a minimum of 30 minutes. The key to effective walking is to use the ‘talk test’. Basically, walk at a pace that is fast enough that you can still hold a conversation, but feel that your breathing is slightly labored.
For those who are too busy to spend a half hour walking, you can even split up your 30 minutes a day into three 10-minute intervals, and get the same results! When it comes to effective walking, ‘Brisk is best!’
Walking for Weight Control
To maximize your walking workout for fat loss, interval walking has been proven to be the most effective method. Basically, start out just below a brisk pace using the ‘talk test’ and walk for one minute. Then, increase the intensity of your pace for one minute to just above the ‘talk test’, so that it is slightly difficult to carry on a conversation. Then bring the intensity back down for another minute and continue to alternate between lower and higher intensities. When starting out with interval walking, aim for just about 10 minutes at first. If you feel up to it, increase the duration to 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, etc. This method maximizes the post-workout metabolic afterburn. Basically, this skyrockets your metabolism for several hours after the walk, so after a quick walk in the morning, you’ll be burning even more calories sitting on the living room sofa watching ‘Good Morning Arizona!’
Walking for Mental Health
Because of the release of endorphins with physical activity, walking has been shown to improve self esteem, decrease depression and anxiety, and improve mood. Walkers also report more consistent sleeping patterns and feeling ‘well rested’ in the mornings.
Walking Support
The most effective way to ensure dedication and consistency to your walking plan is to enlist the support of a friend, family member, or loved one to walk with you. For most people, accountability is the number one missing ingredient for success. Create an environment and support group that will ensure your success!
Throughout Arizona there are tons of walking groups, guided hikes and walks, and beautiful parks and recreation areas for our outdoor activities. With a simple ‘Google’ search, you can find a walking group nearest you and get walking today!
Do you have a question for Chris?
Send us an email and Chris will answer some of your questions each week.
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