JCSC Wellness Blog

If You Walk On A Daily Basis You Will:

• Feel more confident, happy and relaxed
• Control your weight better
• Have healthier blood cholesterol level
• Lower blood pressure
• Have stronger bones
• Be less likely to have a heart attack
• Recover better from a heart attack
• Be less likely to have a stroke
• Be less likely to develop diabetes

How Often and How Hard?

• Short comfortable walks everyday will give you great health benefits.
• Try to walk every day. Ideally adults should get a total of 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise.
• Find the level that suits you the best. You should still be able to talk (or whistle) comfortably as you walk.

Getting Started and Staying Motivated

• Once you get started, you’ll realize how enjoyable and relaxing walking can be.
• An active way of live is important for all of us and becomes more important as we grow older.
• Walking is a great social activity, you can walk with a friend or join a club, or you can walk quietly alone while listening to an audio book, or music. Whatever you do, the goal is to aim for comfort and enjoyment while keeping active.

Useful Tips for Walking

• Find a good place to walk
  • Locations that have a flat terrain, straight path, smooth surface and minimal traffic are ideal for walking. Make sure you are wearing appropriate footwear as walking puts a bit of pressure on your feet which can cause pain. If indoor exercise is the only possibility, then use a treadmill and set it to a slow speed for walking.
• Make an exercise playlist
  • Walks are an excellent opportunity to reflect and plan for the future. It may help to have music playing as you take your walk, especially if your are easily bored from low-key activities. When doing this, however, be extra careful to look out for cars if you are walking on a street, since you may not be able to hear approaching vehicles over your audio device.
• Set reasonable expectations for your progress
  • You will want to start out slow and aim for short distances. Write these goals down so that you can keep yourself on track and monitor small achievements.
• Don’t expect to see fast results
  • Incorporating walking into your daily schedule is about making healthier choices towards better lifestyle, and it’s a change that you should maintain.
• Hydrate
  • You don’t want to become dehydrated while you are exercising, especially under a hot sun, but be careful because some people develop stomach cramps if they drink water right before or while they exercise. However, don’t drink so much water that you’ll need a bathroom break.
• Find ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine
  • If you can’t find the time to go walking: take the stairs instead of the escalator or the lift; walk to the shops if they’re close by; if you visit a friend who doesn’t live too far away, leave the car at home. It’s surprising how much difference it can make when you regularly climb a few flights of stairs and take frequent short walks.

Sources:

Tips for Getting Active

10 Reasons to Walk Your Way to Health