Health x Wellness
How to Get in Shape by Walking
Getting fit and healthy is not difficult, especially if you can walk your way to be in shape. Learn how walking can become your go-to exercise when all else fails.
Some people may find walking a lower priority on the list of exercises but you’d be surprised how this aerobic exercise can actually help you get in shape and toned at the same time.
Getting Started
If you’re actually new to this, walking is always the best exercise you can get yourself acquainted with. The good news is, you can walk anytime and anywhere without having to spend a cent!
To get started, always make it a priority to walk on a regular basis. If you don’t feel like sweating it out, convince yourself to get yourself out there and walk your way to fitness. There is no point in any exercise if you just do it whenever you feel like it.
Warm Up
Even though walking doesn’t seem like a tedious exercise, you still have to keep your body warmed up. Stretch! Don’t overlook this step since you might end up having muscle cramps along the way. Stretching will keep your body warmed up before that long walk. After walking, do some stretching exercises to cool your body down.
How Long Should You Walk
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you need to walk for at least 2 and a half hours if you want to have a healthy weight. For those who want to shed off some weight, it is recommended to walk for about 250 minutes a week.
If you’re busy and have a lot in your hands, all you have to do is plan ahead of time to map out your walking schedule. You can walk for 30 minutes on a daily basis or 45 minutes for five days a week.
Watch Your Posture
Walking in a slouchy position won’t do you any good. Make sure to stand tall with your head forward, allowing your arms to swing side by side. It is important to have the correct walking posture in check to develop it as a habit as you go along. Besides, you don’t want to strain your back in the long run just because of your poor walking posture.
How Fast Can You Go
Walking can only be an effective exercise if you walk fast enough to build your stamina and boost your cardiovascular strength. You can walk for about 90-115 steps per minute as a start. Brisk walking also helps strengthen your leg muscles.
However, always listen to your body as you go along. Don’t overwork yourself until your body lashes it out on you the next day. You can always go faster for a more challenging routine once you get the hang of it.
Take It to the Next Level
Once you’ve developed the habit of walking, you can insert some jumping jacks and squats in between. This will challenge you even more as you build your stamina even better. Don’t limit your body to what it can do. There are several exercises out there you can perform outdoors while you walk.
Perhaps you can do some push-ups or burpees before you conclude your walking routine. Who says walking can never be that challenging?
Watch What You Eat
Any form of exercise can only do so much if you don’t change your eating habits. Strive to make a healthier choice when it comes to your daily intake of food. Exercising won’t be as beneficial if you stuff everything in right after you work out.
To keep yourself from binge eating, try to eat a healthy snack in between meals to keep you full throughout the day. Doing this keeps you from craving more carbs. At the same time, having healthy eating habits makes it easier for you to reach your fitness goal.
Take a Look Around
Walking can be entertaining since you’d get to see more of your surroundings than before.
Because of this, you might find yourself walking longer than you normally planned for, just because you appreciate the environment that you’re in. At the same time, walking can give you that peace of mind you’ve always wanted, especially if you need some time out or “alone” time.
As long as you have the will and determination to keep yourself healthy, walking won’t seem like an obligation. Instead, it’ll be a fun workout routine you can get used to, while letting your body get healthy in the process.
Join Active Ager Asia, a membership community to help you keep healthy and stay fit. Members can sync your wearables or preferred mobile pedometer app with the system, get educational articles from the Active Age and enjoy privileges. Through the portal, members are encouraged to keep good health by walking to earn incentives. More information at Active Ager Asia.
