Health x Wellness
Walking for Beginners: Why, Where and How
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“Now” will always be the best time to get in shape and prepare for a healthier you. Find out how to walk your way to fitness and weight loss.
Being fit, losing weight and getting in shape is not difficult. It takes time to achieve your desired goal, whether it’s about living healthy, losing weight or trimming your body.
Have you considered walking as the key to the goals described earlier?
Did you know that it’s an effective exercise to burn all that calories, keeps your heart healthy and tones up muscles along the way?
If you are in a search of a workout routine that will suit your schedule the best, why not go for walking?
Why Walking
In reality, people do not think of walking as a great way to keep you healthy and active.
This really should not be the case since walking can be a great cardiovascular workout that delivers many health benefits such as minimising the risk of heart diseases or helping to combat diabetes.
At the same time, regular walking helps you achieve peace of mind you’ve always needed. If you feel like getting some stress relief while losing weight, consider walking as your answer.
Where to Start Walking
Simply step out of the house and start walking! You can walk in your local park, inside your neighborhood, near the sea or to any place where you feel like it.
If you are always busy, you can go grab your groceries by walking instead of using your car. Running errands on foot is a great opportunity for you to get things done and have your workout at the same time.
Do you prefer walking indoors? Find your nearest treadmill! Some people find it more comfortable to workout at home, or in the gym.
For those who want to tone up their buttocks, calf muscles and hamstrings, you might want to try walking uphill. On the other hand, walking downhill is beneficial for your thighs while walking on a level ground is a great workout for your back and abdominals.
Try hiking as soon as feel like your body is up for the challenge. This is a good exercise for you to push your body even more, giving you a great workout for the day.
How Long Should You Walk
For beginners, walking for at least 20 minutes on a daily basis is enough to let your heart rate increase together with your breathing. Don’t worry if you don’t sweat as much the first time. The amount of sweat is not indicative of how effective your workout is.
Some people may even find a hard time squeezing a 20-minute walk into their schedule. If this is the case, you can split it up into two sessions—walk for 10 minutes in the morning and another ten in the evening. This will still be an effective workout as long as you’re walking at a brisk and moderate speed.
As your body gets adjusted to the workout, increase the duration beyond 20 minutes a day. Perhaps you can bring hand weights with you as you walk or incorporate simple exercise routines in between. Be creative and increase the challenge and test your body from time to time.
How to Walk
Sure, we all know how to walk. But when it comes to walking as a form of exercise, you must know the proper posture in order to reap its health benefits.
Make sure to stand up straight, chin up and set your eyes forward. Avoid leaning back too much as it can cause back problems in the future.
It’s better to keep both of your hands swaying as you walk to keep a steady balance. This is important, especially if you’re brisk walking on a regular basis. Walk as you normally do instead of taking long strides. Quick and easy strides are the best.
Now that you’ve learned some of the basics, get out of your comfort zone and start working out for a more positive and healthier you!
