No Gym Required! 8 Reasons to Start
Walking is the easiest, safest and most economical way to get – and stay – in shape. Yet 42 percent fewer Americans walk today compared with 25 years ago. It’s no coincidence that the number of overweight Americans has increased by 40 percent during that same time.
Spring has sprung
As if the arrival of spring weren’t reason enough to get some exercise out in the fresh air, Cleveland Clinic family physician Thomas Morledge, MD, a wellness and preventive medicine expert, says that walking can also improve your health by:
- reducing your stress levels
- lowering risks of premature death from heart disease; stroke; breast and colon cancers
- avoiding disability from diseases such as diabetes
- improving skeletal hip strength and balance to prevent falls in osteoporosis
- relieving constipation and erectile dysfunction
- making you stronger and more fit, so that you look and feel better
- causing a surge in your brain’s endorphin and serotonin levels that will lift your mood
- helping you with weight management
The downside of walking for wellness is…actually, there is no downside!
Time for a walk!
Heather Nettle, MA, Coordinator of Exercise Physiology Services for Cleveland Clinic Sports Health, suggests that you start your own walking program by following these steps:
- Check with your doctor before you take your first step, to make sure you’re good to go.
- Lace up a pair of well-fitting walking shoes that provide support and cushion your feet.
- Work up slowly to a good, brisk pace, walking as if you’re late for a meeting.
- Get your heart pumping and your lungs working for maximum cardiorespiratory health, but don’t overdo it. Try walking at a pace where carrying on a conversation is possible, but singing is difficult.
- Leave the hand weights at home. Even light weights will throw off your walking form and increase your risks of injury. Instead, swing your arms in a natural rhythm, keeping elbows bent and arms pumping to help with momentum.
- Make walking fun – load up your iPod and keep time to your favorite tunes or listen to your favorite radio program…and watch for cars!
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Be Well™ eNews articles are written for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. They have not been designed to replace a physician's assessment and medical judgment. Always consult with your physician first about anything related to your personal health.
