When Hippocrates said that “walking is man’s best medicine”, he didn’t realize that thousands of years later, new benefits of walking would be discovered daily. Walking is the #1 participation sport worldwide and is probably the safest exercise you can do. Studies have shown that due to the design of our body, walking is more natural than sitting, standing or running, and walking is not as stressful to the body as other exercises. While there is no need to spend a lot of money on walking gear, there are a few items that will make your walk easier, safer and more fun.
Shoes are the single most important piece of equipment for the walker. They can be the difference between having a fun, relaxing walk and an uncomfortable, painful one. You want a pair of shoes that provide both support and comfort to all parts of the foot.
Comfortable clothing is important too. It is advisable to wear loose fitting clothing. This may include shorts made of natural material and a tee shirt or a warm-up suit. Rubberized clothing should be avoided. Dress warmly in cold weather . In warm weather, less is more – wear light clothing. In rain or snow, a water and windproof jacket makes a great addition to your walking wardrobe.
A pedometer! A pedometer is the perfect way to enhance your walking. First of all, it’s
fun to know how many steps you’ve taken, how far you’ve walked, or how long you’ve been walking. Secondly, a pedometer allows you to keep track of your progress against the goals you have set for yourself. A pedometer will also show you the steps taken or distance traveled over one or several walks.
Put the pedometer on when you first wake up in the morning – even on your pajamas – and keep it on all day until bedtime, except when submerged in water (or naked – ouch!) Place your pedometer on your waistband or belt, making sure that it’s upright, not tilted. It should be in front of your hip, in line with one knee.
A great and easy program to get you started on your lifetime walking “habit” is the 10,000 Step-A-Day Walking Program. The 10K-A-Day program is to walk 10,000 steps a day (which exceeds the Surgeon General’s physical fitness recommendations of 30 minutes of exercise three times a week). When you accomplish this, you will be burning more calories and you’ll be walking your way to a healthier life.
Your pedometer will count every step you take during the day. It will add new motivation to your exercise program and will keep you focused on your goal: 10,000 steps/day!
You may find, however, that your step counts vary day to day due to your activities. A suggestion is that you monitor your weekly, not daily, totals. Going for 70,000 steps per week, rather than 10,000 steps per day can help ward off those feelings of failure. Keep track of your daily steps on a note pad, a calendar or in a walking journal.
If you are trying to lose weight, you might even try to walk 12,000 steps per day, while maintaining a reasonable diet, and drinking lots of water.
Here are some easy ways to get in more active time in a day:
- Walk to a corner store for a few items you need.
- Walk the kids to school, a friend’s house, or sports practice rather than driving.
- Use a bathroom on another floor at work or school.
- At the store you’re shopping at, park farther away from the door.
- Take the dog on more walk’s. ( He’ll love it too)
- Take a quick stroll rather than sit down for a midmorning snack.
- Occasionally skip e-mail and hand deliver messages to people.
- Build social activities around being more active.
You can usually purchase a pedometer at your local sporting goods store – if not, check online. There are many different types of pedometers that measure many different things: calories, steps, miles, heart rate, etc. - with different price ranges. I personally like to keep it simple and just count my steps. I spent $10.00 on my pedometer at Dunham’s.
Now that you’ve found out all about walking, it’s up to you to make walking a part of your life! Once you have selected or designed your own program, it is a good idea to set goals, make a time commitment and keep track of your progress. Hope you end up enjoying any excuse to walk as I do!
