If you are getting back into exercise, starting out, or have some health issues that need to be addressed, walking is the perfect place to start.
I'm not talking the little jaunts to the fridge, or walking around for your job. You are used to that. They don't count.
You need to exercise specifically for exercise. That is, you need to raise your heart rate and breathing for it to count.
Start with what you can do. If that's only to the mailbox and back, make that the best walking you do all day. Build from there. Add a couple more yards. Then a couple more minutes. On nice days push yourself farther and farther.
It's OK to take push yourself, then take a break before going back home.
Push yourself a couple of steps farther each day.
Why?
Proper walking uses all the muscles in your body. Your stomach should be tight when you walk to take pressure off your back. Your knees should always be bent to avoid damage. Your arms should active.
The biggest muscles we use for exercise are our quads (fronts of our legs), abdomen (stomach), and glutes (butt). If you carry a small weight in each hand, your arms get better, too!
Avoid walking with your head down. Look level and to the front. You put pressure on your back by looking down and rob yourself of working your core muscles when your back muscles are strained.
Walking is the top exercise for people with injuries, even knee injuries. Unless there is a physical disability that prevents walking, this is the best exercise for you.
I've seen many people with walkers and canes get out and start walking. Yes, they start very slow, and so should you. Walking when engaging your muscles is healthy and necessary.
Walking also uses up hormones in your body that cause fat storage. It quickly and efficiently burns sugars and helps digestion.
What to do when the weather is bad?
At the very least, walk around the house. Or the mall, or the grocery store. Have a backup plan in mind. Another option is a yoga DVD.
Best Walking:
Go take the dog for a walk. People who walk with their dogs walk farther, faster, and more consistently than people who are just walking.
Keep a journal of how often and how far you walked. This is the best way to see how far you've come. It's OK to start off with just a couple feet. You will soon get better.
Christina Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health helps people, especially women, who have Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure lower their numbers, get off medication and increase their energy so they can save money, take back control of their lives and improve the health and happiness of their families. You can get a free report on health at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com/
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