 |
|
|
|
Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources | HOME PAGE Health Club 101 DIRECT Natural Supplements | HGH Energizer | Eazol Natural Pain Relief | Revitol Cellulite Solution IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Menopause Symptoms Relief | Insomnia Sleeping Aid Articles & Information Medicine | Nutrition | Exercise | Fitness Equipment | Pregnancy Bodybuilding Supplements | Weight Loss | Breast Cancer | Diabetes Category Site Map |
 |
How to Start a Walking Program
Did you know that walking is the number one participation sport in the world? Walking is one of the best things you can do for overall health and wellness. When you walk you use more muscles than any other sport. In fact, walking uses almost all of the 650 muscles and 203 bones found in the human body. So what are you waiting for? There is not much involved in starting a walking program. You can start immediately and you don't need a coach to teach you how to walk. The equipment required to start is minimal and relatively inexpensive. Important Equipment The most important piece of equipment you will need is a good pair of walking or running shoe. Most shoe stores and sporting goods stores should be able to supply you with a good selection. You can also check out some of the online stores, you will find some good sources at DrLeonards.com or FootSmart.com. You may also want to think about getting yourself a pedometer. Pedometers are handy little gadgets that can measure your distance and time and help you keep track of your progress. Why am I walking? Now that you have your equipment and are ready to go, it might be nice to know why you are starting a walking program. The health benefits of walking are many and include the following: · Helps with weight loss. · Helps to reduce blood pressure · Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes · Relieves stress · Boosts overall energy levels · Strengthens the heart and reduces the risk of heart disease · Studies have shown that walking relieves depression and anxiety · Strengthens your body · Burns almost the same amount of calories as running How should I start? Since walking uses almost all 650 of your muscles it is a very good idea to warm up before you begin a walk. This will loosen up your body and help to avoid injury. How long should I walk? You should build up to walking for about one hour. Your current fitness level will determine the length and time of your first walk. Some people will only be able to walk around the block, others will able to walk the full hour. Do what you feel comfortable with and build from that point. Keep a log to measure your progress. As you become fitter, increase the pace and distance. Personally, I like to measure my walks in distance. A pedometer will be of great assistance. Measuring your walk in distance helps to compensate for days when you might walk a little slower or faster. After your first few walks try to achieve a brisk pace where you may be puffing a little but you can still talk. Remember, there is not much difference in the amount of energy (calories) expended by walking or running a specified distance. After you have finished your walk don't forget to cool down. Try to spend about 5 minutes walking slowly. This will allow your heart, lungs and blood flow to return to normal gradually. This decreases strain on your heart and can help to prevent muscle strain and soreness. JUST DO IT!!! Hey, you've seen the commercials. Now you just have to commit yourself to walking on a regular schedule. Make it part of your routine just like brushing your teeth. It's easy to do and doesn't require special training or equipment. Just do it! Copyright 2005 Michael Brooks Mike Brooks has been a life long follower and proponent of the fitness lifestyle. Through his avid research, Mr. Brooks has come to the realization that being healthy is a choice and encompasses not only proper diet but also a fitness regimen that includes the mind, body and soul. Mike Brooks is the publisher and editor-in-chief for the health information site http://www.ultimatehealthreport.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Men's Health
|
Women's
Health |
Children's
Health |
Elder
Health
Medicine - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Success Versus Failure in the Exercise Department Success is what you are prepared to make of yourself every single day. That one cold morning when you want to roll over but instead get up and go to workout, is a defining moment. Best Abdominal Exercises to Get the Sexy Six Pack You Deserve The key to getting those sexy abdominals lies mainly on what abdominal exercises you choose to perform.Here are the best yoga Exercises for Removing Abdominal Fat Permanently!1)Dhanurasana-Bow PostureTechnique:1. When Exercising Right Looks Wrong III (Back) Hopefully, if you read my last article I got you thinking. Thinking about different ways to train, not necessarily using machines, but using your entire body with each exercise. Diet and Exercise - Without Going to the Gym Exercising and dieting are tasks that are very difficult for many of us, but usually just the thought of it that makes us queasy. There are some simple ways to get out and get fit, and you just might enjoy yourself too. Got A Cold - Should You Work Out? A recent study sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine indicates that exercising moderately while you have a common cold doesn't affect the severity or duration of the symptoms.It's a widely excepted notion that exercising and keeping in shape will reduce your risk of getting sick, but nothing has been previously documented to demonstrate whether working out while suffering from a cold would reduce or intensify the symptoms. Weight Loss & Low Body Fat - High Calorie Burning Techniques During Workouts! My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder, personal, trainer to movie stars, and former employee of Kathy Smith. Exercise and the Time Clock I have to admit that I sometimes find it amusing when someone knows I am a trainer and proceeds to elaborate on the hours that they spend in the gym. One example was a few years back when I was introduced to a nice young women, who proceeded to tell me that she went to the gym twice a day, an hour each time. 3 Great Weight Loss Exercises It's a given that effective weight loss is much more then simply going on a "diet". To really lose weight and (hopefully) keep that weight off, you need to add exercise to the equation. Attention, Ladies! Building those impressively sleek shoulders takes a great deal of raw grind but once you sport a shapely set, you'll quickly be separated from the rest. If you like to wear bikinis or summer dresses that reveal your upper torso, shoulder training is ideal in sporting a sexy physique. Bodybuilding and Exercise - The Ten Commandments in Making of a Champion! 1. Fill your life up with different hobbies! - Bodybuilding Champions realize working out is not everything there is in life. 4 Exercises That Will Help You Change Your Body Faster Than Any Other Exercises You May Have Tried 1. Lunges with a barbell. Strategies for Alleviating the Boredom Associated with Exercise Just about every expert in the ADD field will tell you that exercise is one of the best ADD management strategies there is. According to the book Delivered from Distraction:"When a person exercises, she sets in motion a cascade of events that her brain loves. A 30-minute, Or Less, Full Body Workout Most people do not have the time to do biceps and back one day, then legs and shoulders the next, then triceps and abdominals the next day. So here is a short, and every effective full body weight session you can easily get done in 30 minutes or less. Exercise Intensity "Physical Fitness"Some physical activities (exercise) are not intense enough to help you meet the FDA recommendations for being physically fit. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for. Tai Chi, NOT Chai Tea! Those of you that have either completed a one-on-one program, purchased an on-line program or have read anything else that I have written in the past have most likely determined by now and realize it is quite evident.. Essential Power Walking Tips Ever since I took a power walking class in college, I have been hooked. If you are thinking about learning how to power walk, I strongly urge you to do so. Exercise - Anxiety & Panic Yes, all I'm afraid this does play a part in reducing anxiety and depression. As much as you may not like doing it (I've never been a huge fan of it myself) but once you get into it, you certainly feel better for it afterwards. The Fundamentals of Pilates There are people who are fond of getting an exercise for maintaining their body figure as well as to condition their body so to look healthier and sexy. Some do the swimming or others stay in the gym to get their ideal body figure. What is the Best Exercise for Weight Loss? It is a common misconception that aerobic exercise tones/firms muscles. Actually it accomplishes very little toning/firming. The Different Types of Treadmills When we usually think of treadmills, we tend to think thatthere is only one type on the market. However, this isvery far from the truth as there are a couple of differenttypes of treadmills.
|
|
home | site map Men's Health | Women's Health | Children's Health | Elder Health Holistic Health | Healthy Heart | Cancer | Weight Loss Exercise & Fitness | Healthy Resources |
|
|
