By Donna Bosworth
New Bedford Wellness Yoga Director
The basic actions of daily living are easy to take for granted. Breathing, your heart beating, your legs carrying you from place to place are all so automatic that we rarely think about them, with the exception of aches and pains. But there’s one of these everyday actions that deserves a second look: walking. It’s simple, it’s free, and the health benefits might surprise you.
Taking up a habit of walking regularly will help you maintain a healthy weight, keep your joints happy, boost your mood and help with heart health. An easy to do exercise, it is considered to be a low-impact activity that is kind to your joints with minimal risk and lots of benefits.
Aiming for 30 minutes a day is the general time suggestion to start to reap the benefits of regular exercise. If you don’t have 30 minutes, break it into smaller parts, taking a few shorter walks throughout your day. Some ideas: park farther away when you go to a store, take the stairs instead of an elevator, make a meeting a walking meeting, ask a friend to join you for a short jaunt to a park or beach. Any amount of activity is better than none. Even short bursts add up and have health benefits.
A brisk walk can burn approximately 150-200 calories depending on your pace and body weight. It can strengthen heart health, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure while also lowering LDL cholesterol. It strengthens your bones and muscles, improves balance and lowers fall risk. If a brisk pace isn’t for you, consider walking at your regular pace with small bursts of a faster pace.
You may have heard of Japanese walking, which is also known as Interval Walking Training (IWT). It is a technique that alternates between slow and brisk walking for overall health benefits.
How to do Japanese Walking or Interval Walking Training:
- Warm-up: Begin with a few minutes of gentle walking
- Interval: Walk briskly for about 3 minutes and then slow down for 3 minutes.
- Repeat: Complete the cycle five times for a total of 30 minutes.
- Posture: Maintain an upright posture, engage your core and practice deep abdominal breathing. This will help with stability and digestion.
- Optimal Benefits: Practice this routine four or more days a week.
Ready to make a change? Set yourself up for a successful walking session with these suggestions:
- Start with a simple goal that you can easily reach. Perhaps a walk down the driveway or from your car to the store. As your routine builds, slowly build your goals.
- Make it enjoyable! Walk with a friend or neighbor, walk your dog, join a health club or walking club, listen to music or an audiobook. Find something that will make you want to continue.
- Change your routine. Try a different route, find a park, add short hills or stairs.
- Take missed days in stride. If you miss a walk, it’s okay. Remember how good you feel when you include walking in your daily routine and get back to it when you can.
Taking that first step will start you in the right direction for better health!
Donna Bosworth is a certified group fitness instructor with 30+ years of experience in the fitness community .Her love of exercise includes Yoga 500-hour E-CYT, TaiJi Fit, Pilates, Barre and she is a fifth degree Black Belt in American Kenpo.
Recent Comments