Healthy In Just Twelve Weeks
August 27, 2008
Walking is a universal exercise requiring no equipment other than a good pair of sneakers. It can be done almost anywhere and demands little athletic skill. Best of all, it really helps increase HDLs and lower total cholesterol, while offering other health benefits ranging from reducing your blood pressure, helping you sleep better, sharpening your mind and helping you lose weight. Losing weight can also help you improve your cholesterol levels.
Try these tips on creating a program that can improve your overall health: Get the go-ahead from your doctor, then mark a start date on your calendar. Buy a good pair of walking sneakers that are comfortable on top, have good shock absorption, a sole with smooth tread and that encourages the natural roll of the foot. Try them on at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest. Make sure that your heel doesn’t slip as you walk, you can wiggle your toes and the shoe feels comfortable overall.
For a natural motivator, why not get a pedometer. According to a recent study people who use a pedometer walk an additional seven miles per week losing more pounds than people who walked without one.
On Your Marks, Get Set, Go
Step 1: Establish a Baseline using the pedometer to record the number of steps you take each day for seven days as you go about your typical day. At the end of each day, write down how many steps you took. After seven days, the highest number you walked in any one day is your baseline. or the first two weeks, try to walk 500 more steps per day than the baseline. For most people, this means walking an additional three to five minutes per day.
Step 2: Set your goals adding an additional 500 steps or five minutes every two weeks to the amount you walk each day. At the end of 12 weeks, you will be walking an additional 30 minutes or about 3,000 more steps every day. Keep a daily log of your walks to monitor your progress.
Step 3: Add warm-ups and cool-downs. As you begin walking for longer periods stretches of time, be sure to warm up and cool down. Do not stretch before you walk: Your joints, tendons and muscles may still be stiff and more prone to injury than they will be after you exercise. Instead, do some easy exercises to get your circulation going, such as toe points (alternately pointing and flexing your feet and holding each for five seconds), slow ankle circles and gentle arm circles.
The best way to warm up for walking is simply to start out the first five minutes of your walk slowly, especially if it’s early in the morning and your muscles or joints are stiff. Gradually pick up speed over the first 10 minutes until, by 12 or 13 minutes into your walk, you have reached your target heart rate. For the last five minutes of your walk, slow down gradually and stretch your legs and arms gently.
Step 4: Pump up the volume by continuing to add another five minutes or 500 steps every two weeks if you can. If, you don’t have that much time, increase the intensity of your walk by swinging your arms, walking uphill or alternating jogging for two to three minutes and walking for five minutes.
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