Heart Health- The Benefits of Walking

While the combination of diet and exercise is important to maintain a healthy body, it is exercise that is the driving force towards fitness- because it tends to promote and elevate an individual’s overall sense of well-being.

Why Walk?

Walking is gentle, low-impact and can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is one of your body’s most natural forms of exercise. It’s safe, simple, doesn’t require practice, and the health benefits are many.

Health Benefits

Walking not only reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, makes managing your weight a lot easier, strengthens muscles, bones, and joints and improves sleep, it also stimulates the release of endorphins which exhilarate the mind and help bring you into a balanced state.

Walking has been found to have a higher compliance rate (i.e. number of people who stick with this form of exercise) than other physical activities because it can be easily incorporated into a busy time schedule, does not require any special skills, equipment (other than a good pair of athletic shoes) or facility, is companionable, and can be undertaken by individuals of all age groups.

Walking Accessories

• Shoes: Wear comfortable athletic shoes with a lot of support, including proper arch support, a firm heel, and thick, flexible soles that will cushion your feet and absorb shock. If you walk frequently, you may need to buy new shoes often. 
• Clothing: Your walking clothing should be lightweight and breathable. Also wear clothes that will keep you dry and comfortable. Look for synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin.
• Pedometer:  A pedometer is an instrument that measures exactly how far you’ve walked. You simply measure your stride, program the pedometer, and clip it to your belt.

Getting Ready to Walk

Here are some tips on how to start.

Warm-Up before Walking: Warm-up helps the muscles and makes them more flexible, which will make you less prone to injury.

Begin Slowly: Whatever fitness program you are involved in, it is important to start off slowly. If you begin too intensely, you are putting yourself at risk for a variety of different injuries. Begin with a short, ten-minute walk around the block. Keep a slow to moderate pace. Do this three to five times a week.

Focus on Posture: Posture is very important when it comes to walking. If you walk with poor posture, you could give yourself an injury and your body won’t receive maximum benefit from the workout. Be sure to walk with a straight back and relaxed shoulders. Try to elongate yourself from the ground up. Walk with your head up and your eyes forward at all times and focus on keeping your abdominal muscles and buttocks tight.

Increase in Increments: As you feel your stamina building, begin to increase the length of your workouts. Increase your walks by about five minutes every week. Work up to walks that are 30 minutes or longer.

Build Your Intensity: After a few weeks of walking at a moderate speed, build your intensity by pumping your arms or walking faster. Walking up hills and inclines is also great for adding to the intensity, and it will keep your walks from getting boring.

Cool-Down Stretch: Stretching after exercise can help you relax and balance tension on muscles that have just been exercised.

Set Realistic Goals: For example, walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break or participate in a fun walk with friends.

Keep track of your progress with a pedometer or walking journal: Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration.

If you are not currently engaged in any physical activity, now is the time.  Start slowly and work your way up.  No one is saying you have to run a marathon, but if you want to avoid future health problems associated with your heart, walking is the first step.

How to Beat Stress with Exercise

I am sure you know exercise is good for the body.  But did you also know that even the most modest form of exercise can reduce the number of stress hormones produced and counteract your body’s natural stress response? So whatever you set out to accomplish through your daily exercise program: lose body fat; build muscle; fight off disease; that same program can also help you manage stress.

Stress and Your Health

Evidence shows that stress damages your health. It can weaken your immune system, increase your blood pressure, raise cholesterol, keep your blood sugar level elevated, and cause weight gain and skin problems.

How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?

• It stimulates your production of endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine: Exercise causes the brain to produce a cocktail of helpful biochemicals that help reduce stress. Runners, for example, are familiar with that ‘endorphin high’ that comes from marathon workouts; this endorphin high can also be achieved through weight training or a robust game of basketball. The endorphin high is a result of the brain releasing an opiate-like substance that the body produces naturally to reduce pain. It also can give you a sense of well being.
• It lets you focus on a single task: After completing an intense workout in the weight room or a non-stop spinning class at your favorite gym, you will often find you have forgotten the day’s problems and irritations and focused purely on your specific activity. As you begin to repeatedly discard your daily frustrations by focusing on a single physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the positive energy that is a result of it, can help you remain cool, calm and collective in everything you do.
• It improves your outlook: Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms related to mild depression and anxiety. This can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Steps for success:  Just like everything else in life, you need to have a plan to be successful.  I suggest taking these few simple steps.

• Consult with your doctor: Before beginning a new fitness program, consult with your health care provider especially if you have a history of heart disease or other risk factors.
• Know your fitness level: Build your fitness level gradually.  Do not jump into an advanced workout routine if you have not exercised in years!  This can lead to frustration and workout related injuries. Plus, if you begin your workouts slowly, you are more likely to stick with it.
• Do what you enjoy: Don’t train for a triathlon if you loathe swimming, running, and biking!   Any activity from walking to ballroom dancing can increase your fitness level while reducing stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity you enjoy.
• Schedule it and keep it regular: Choose the times you exercise carefully. If you are not a morning person, don’t force yourself to get up at four in the morning to exercise. Choose a time you know you can maintain and make your exercise routing an ongoing priority.

Remember, find an activity you enjoy even if it’s just getting out of the house or away from work for a vigorous walk. Any form of physical activity can help you elevate your mood and become a great way to lower your level of stress.

Dress for Workout Success

Getting to the gym on a consistent basis is one of the most important elements in reaching your fitness goals.  But once at the gym, if one does not have on the proper workout attire, the quality of his or her workout can be greatly reduced.  Having the right gear can make you feel more comfortable and confident as you exercise- leading to a more productive workout.

Performance Fabrics

Workout clothes made with fabrics that wick (pull away) moisture from the body as one sweats are the norm these days.  These blends are very active in that they have the ability to dry quickly and suppress odors. Numerous Companies that produce active-wear products have their own propriety brand of performance fabrics such as Adidas ClimaCool® and Champion Double Dry®.

Apparel made with these performance fabrics is great for medium to high intensity workouts or any activity that produces a great deal of fluid loss.  

Champion Double Dry Shirts

Happy Feet

A proper fitting athletic shoe is essential for working out.  A good athletic shoe supports the foot for various activities, such as running movements, lateral movements and jumping movements.  There are basically five shoe types and what’s best for you depend on your foot type and training needs.

Motion Control Shoes:

These are the most rigid, durable, control-oriented running shoes that limit overpronation. This shoe is for you if you overpronate, wear orthotics and want a stable shoe, or you have flat feet.

Stability Shoes:

A good blend of cushioning, support and durability. This shoe is for you if you are of average weight and don’t have any severe pronation or supination, but do need support and good durability.

Cushioned Shoes:

The most cushioned shoes with the least support. This shoe is for you if you underpronate, have a rigid foot (high arch) and don’t need any extra support.

Lightweight Training Shoes:

The lightest of the training shoes designed for fast-paced training or racing. This shoe is for you if you have no motion-control problems and are a fast, efficient runner.

Trail Shoes:

These shoes offer the best traction, with stability and durability. This shoe is for you if you run off-road or in inclement weather and need extra traction, more durable uppers and a thicker soled shoe.

Once you know your foot type, look at the specific activity you will be participating in and buy athletic shoe accordingly.  For example, for low-impact activities, consider a cross-training shoe. Cross-trainers are also good for lifting weights due to their lateral stability. For cardio activities, it’s probably best to have a running shoe, but the proper cross-training shoe can work as well. Other sports-specific footwear is recommended for activities such as basketball or racquetball, because these shoes offer the best traction for its respective sport.

So get comfortable; get confident; and get to the gym!

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