Body & More 365

Posted on: December 21, 2009

Walk This Way ... Or That Way

No matter your skill level, daily walking offers abundant health rewards

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

Getting more exercise always seems to be a daunting challenge. But it could be a walk in the park.

If you want to lose or maintain your current weight, improve your heart health and reduce your stress levels, your success may be as easy as taking a brisk turn around a park or even your neighborhood.

Unfortunately, few people are taking even these modest steps toward fitness, say health experts.

Americans are adopting inactive lifestyles, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., which co-sponsored an international conference of health professionals to encourage more walking.

Here are tips to help you hit your stride.

Don't worry about whether you're fit for walking.

You don't even need to warm up, says Julia Valentour, program coordinator for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), San Diego.

"Walking is a great warm up itself," Valentour says ."Walk at a pace that's comfortable to sustain, working up to 30 to 60 minutes."

Don't worry if you're not moving at top speed.

Any walking you do is better than getting in the car, according to Catrine Tudor-Locke, a researcher on walking behavior at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, La.

However, a brisk walk will provide more of a cardiovascular benefit, according to Tudor-Locke.

Make the activity more interesting by alternating a couple of minutes of slow walking with the same amount of speed walking.

Build walking into your routine, especially when you can't get outdoors.

"Take a walk to talk to your colleagues instead of e-mailing them," Tudor-Locke says.

Use your shopping mall for a walking circuit.

"A lot of malls open early for walkers to come in," Valentour says.

Break up your walking time if necessary.

Experts recommend walking at least 10 minutes at a time, but you can do that in a few intervals during the day.

Aim for a total of at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week. If you're trying to lose weight, make it your goal to walk 45 to 60 minutes a day, Valentour says.

Enhancing the Stroll

Although you don't need special equipment these items will boost your enthusiasm and your the satisfaction you'll get from walking:

A pedometer: "In a way it's a very powerful tool to become aware of [your] steps per day," says Catrine Tudor-Locke, who logs more than 20,000 steps per day using a desk with a treadmill.

If you wear a pedometer and notice that you're not racking up steps you're motivated to get moving, she says.

Shoes: Expensive footwear isn't essential, but look for shoes that bend at the ball of the foot so you can push off with your toes, says Julia Valentour.

Hiking poles: Again, not necessary, but the poles can help you increase speed. Walking with poles can also provide support if you have balance problems, according to Valentour.

Shoe grips: Don't let winter snow prevent you from walking. Attachments that fit on the bottoms of your shoes provide traction through slippery terrain. Yaktrax and STABILicers are two brands you'll find in sports stores.

Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"