Walking for Fitness
February 5th, 2010 | Published in Diversions
Do you believe that the only way to lose weight is by running? Well, walking is actually a great way to exercise! According to About.com, walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke. There are several varying degrees of walking workouts. These range from slow walking, distance/marathon walking, to race-walking, and just casual walking. As with any physical activity or exercise, it is essential that you stretch before a walking workout.
Slow Walking
Slow walking is recommended for beginners or for persons who need to take it easy such as people recovering from surgery, the elderly, or people with recovering joint injuries. The toughest thing about starting a fitness program is developing a habit. The Walking Site recommends walking daily (a minimum of 5 days a week is a good goal). If you are new to a workout plan then you need to discuss your plans with your doctor especially if you have a health concern or medical conditions.
Distance/Marathon Walking
Whether you are running, jogging, or walking a marathon, 26.2 miles is a long distance. Walking marathons is becoming more popular as people from all fitness levels become more interested in health and working out. Just as in running a marathon, you need to create a workout plan to assist in training for a marathon.
The Walking Site makes the following recommendations:
- If you are walking for the general health benefits try to walk 30 minutes a day, most days of the week, at a “talking” pace. (Talking pace means you have elevated breathing, but you can still carry a conversation.)
-To improve cardiovascular fitness you should walk 3 to 4 days a week, 20 to 30 minutes at a very fast pace. At this pace you are breathing hard but not gasping for air.
-If you are walking for weight loss you should walk a minimum of five days a week, 45 to 60 minutes at a brisk pace.
-Once you can comfortably walk for 30 to 60 minutes 5 to 6 days a week you may want to put more “umpf” or speed into your routine.
If you would like to monitor your walking I suggest purchasing a pedometer. The pedometer will count your steps each day and you can measure your progress. Just remember, stretch before you walk and stay with your plan!
