Walk your way to fitness

Walk your way to fitness

walking is one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier.
walking is ideal for people of all ages and fitness levels who want to be more active.
Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers.
Use this guide to increase the amount of walking you do every week and maximise the health benefits.
Before you start
A pair of shoes is all the equipment you really need. Any shoes or trainers that are comfortable
Wear loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely. Choose thin layers rather than heavy clothing.
If you’re walking to work, you can just wear your usual work clothes with a comfortabe pair of shoes.
For long walks, you may want to take some water, healthy snacks, a spare top, sunscreen and a sunhat in a small backpack.
If you start taking regular, longer walks, you may want to invest in a waterproof jacket and some walking boots for more challenging routes.
Starting out
Start slowly and try to build your walking regime gradually. To get the health benefits from walking, it needs to be of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. In other words, it needs to be faster than a stroll.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're walking fast enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell is that you'll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favourite song.
Try to walk 10,000 steps a day. Most of us walk between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day anyway, so reaching 10,000 isn't as daunting as it might sound.
you can only walk fast for a couple of minutes, that's fine. Don't overdo it on your first day.
You can break up your activity into 10-minute as long as you're doing your activity at a moderate intensity.
Begin every walk slowly and gradually increase your pace. After a few minutes, if you’re ready, try walking a little faster
Towards the end of your walk, gradually slow down your pace to cool down. Finish off with a few gentle stretches, which will help improve your flexibility.
Staying motivated
Make it a habit
The easiest way to walk more is to make walking a habit. Think of ways to include walking into your daily routine. Examples include:
Walk part of your journey to work.
Walk to the shops.
Use the stairs instead of the lift.
Leave the car behind for short journeys.
Walk the kids to school.
Do a regular walk with a friend.
Go for a stroll with family or friends after dinner.
If you live in a city, Walkit has an interactive walk planner to help you find the best walking route. Each suggested route includes your journey time, calorie burn, step count and carbon saving.
Add variety to your walks. You don’t have to travel to the countryside to find a rewarding walk. Towns and cities offer interesting walks including parks, heritage trails, canal towpaths, riverside paths, commons, woodlands, heaths and nature reserves.
Join a walking group .Walking in a group is a great way to start walking, make new friends and stay motivated.
Walking is a low cost and effective form of exercise. However, the wrong type of shoe or walking action can cause foot or shin pain, blisters and injuries to soft tissue. Make sure your shoes are comfortable, with appropriate heel and arch supports. Take light, easy steps and make sure your heel touches down before your toes. Whenever possible, walk on grass rather than concrete to help absorb the impact.
Walking is a low impact activity that offers many health benefits. It’s good for your heart, joints, muscles and bones. It’s free, requires no training or special equipment, and is generally a safe way to exercise. However, there are safety and environmental issues to consider, especially if you choose to walk in parks or reserves that offer difficult terrain or long trails.
General suggestions on reducing the risk of injury while walking include:
Wear appropriate footwear to reduce the risk of blisters or shin splints.
Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after your walk.
Wear sunglasses, sunscreen, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat to avoid sunburn.
Choose a route that is appropriate for your age and fitness level. Warm up and cool down with a slow, gentle pace to ease in and out of your exercise session.
See your doctor for a medical check-up before embarking on any new fitness program, particularly if you are aged over 40 years, are overweight or haven’t exercised in a long time.
Don't overexert yourself
You don’t have to push yourself to breathlessness to enjoy the health benefits of walking. Instead, walk briskly enough so that you can still carry on a conversation. You will need to increase the intensity of your walks as your cardiovascular fitness improves, by walking faster or choosing hillier terrain. You can give your upper body more of a workout by wearing weights strapped to your hands.

Brisk Walking

Walking is one of the most natural ways to remain healthy. This activity, which is a part of everyday life, proves to be extremely beneficial for losing those extra pounds and toning those drooping bits, giving one enough confidence to face the challenges we face each day.
It is indeed a refreshing option compared to a complex aerobic routine or highly priced gym membership. All one needs to know is the correct way of walking to remain fit. Walking faster and for longer period of time is known as brisk walking.
Brisk Walking Benefits:
Reduce unwanted weight
Obesity is a major cause of many dangerous diseases and health conditions such as; diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Brisk walking combined with a nutritious diet helps to burn those extra calories thus reducing unwanted body weight.
Lowers the blood pressure and ‘bad’ cholesterol
Now-a-days, heart attacks and strokes have become very commonplace amongst all age groups. In order to live a healthy life one needs to manage one’s blood pressure and control one’s bad (LDL) cholesterol. Brisk walking helps to reduce both bad cholesterol and blood pressure thus reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes amongst individuals.
Reduces stress:
In today’s world where every one is trying to cope in the rat-race of everyday life the least importance is given to health. Stress has thus become a part and parcel of everyone’s life. However, studies show that brisk walking in fresh, clean environments can relax one’s mind and thus reduce one’s level of stress.
Boosts brain fitness:
Walking promotes proper blood flow increasing the supply of oxygen from the heart to the brain thus making it more alert and better able to absorb new ideas and concepts.
Add years to life:
Living becomes worthwhile if one is fit and able to enjoy all the pleasures of life. In order to stay healthy, one needs to exercise. And what could be better than going for a walk? Regular brisk walking helps to increase the life span by delaying or preventing age related disorders and heart related diseases that may lead to premature death.
Additional Benefits:
Body becomes more flexible
Protects from colon cancer
Boosts immune system
Strengthens the bones
Improves your mood
Increases self esteem
Boosts metabolism
Relieves from back pain
Improved sleep
Bushwalking safety suggestions
You may increase your risk of injury (such as shin splints or hypothermia) if you underestimate the demands of a particular bushwalk. Suggestions include:
Check with Parks Victoria as to which parks and reserves are appropriate for your age and fitness level.
Generally, about six hours for a bushwalk (including rest breaks) is more than enough for the average person.
Remember that walking can be hard work on a child’s little legs. Approximately 1km per birthday is a good rule of thumb. For example, a four year old can be expected to walk up to 4km, with plenty of rest breaks.
Always tell someone of your estimated time of return, so they can raise the alarm if you don’t turn up.
It is best to have at least three companions while bushwalking.
Make sure you have maps of the area. Take note of all signage. Stay on the path.
Check the weather forecast and take appropriate safety measures (for example, pack correct clothing and take sufficient quantities of drink and food).
Look out for hazards in alpine or coastal areas, such as cliff edges or large waves.