Walking is best exercise
for health
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Find a good place to
walk. Generally, the locations have a flat
terrain, straight path, smooth surface and minimal traffic. The convenient
choice would be the neighborhood around your block, but if the road is too
steep, curvy or just not what you're looking for, you might want to consider
other areas around your town. Ensure you are wearing appropriate footwear as walking puts a
bit of pressure on your feet which can cause pain. Also, be sure you are
wearing the correct footwear for the weather.
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Take your car to a
park if it's too far away to walk; parks are often flat and very peaceful.
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Some cities have bike
boulevards or walking paths that are relatively flat and well-maintained. They
also generally have less traffic from cars. These are good areas to pick for
walking as well.
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If you won't be
tempted by the stores, shopping malls are also good locations for walking
around. They are flat, large, and probably contain many different paths so you
won't become bored.
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If you live near a
large body of water, the shoreline can be a nice, relaxing place to get some
fresh air and to work in an early morning hike.
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If indoor exercise is
your thing, use a treadmill set to a slow speed for walking.
·
Make an exercise
playlist. It may help to have music playing as you take
your walk, especially if you are easily bored from low-key activities. Consider
listening to music that also gives your mind room to wander and think about
other parts of your life. You can also listen to music that is upbeat that you
know that will keep your motivation your walk. Walks are an excellent
opportunity to reflect and plan for the future, although take care to avoid
stressful topics. Your walk should definitely be a chance to unwind!
Set
reasonable expectations for your progress. If you have been sedentary for a
long period of time, you will want to start out slower and aim for shorter
distances. Write these tangible goals down in a notebook or calendar so that
you can keep yourself on track and monitor small successes.
Develop a strong
mental attitude for "slow but steady" exercise. This will be
easier for some than for others. To borrow from a popular phrase, walking is
definitely a marathon, not a sprint, so get your mental endurance ready before
you begin this trek. Don't expect to see
fast results. Incorporating walking into your daily schedule is about making
healthier choices towards a better lifestyle, and it's a change that you should
maintain indefinitely. Don't use walking as a get-fit-quick scheme or as a
quick, one-shot weight loss tool.
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Hydrate well before you
begin walking. Make sure you have consumed at least 8-16
ounces of water an hour before you are about to walk. Drink more water if you
plan to walk for a longer time. You don't want to become dehydrated while you
are exercising, especially under a hot sun. You may find it convenient to carry a metal water bottle with
you as you walk, so you can stay hydrated throughout your trek.
·
Some people develop
stomach cramps if they drink water right before or while they exercise, so be careful
of that. Give your body time to process the water before diving into exercise.
·
Don't drink so much
water, however, that you'll need a bathroom while on a long walk
Pick an easy first walk. Make sure that no matter how far you get from
your starting point, you are able to get back there. Walking on an oval track
no more than a quarter mile around should be perfect. If you feel comfortable
in extending the walk past what you initially set, go for it! As
aforementioned, walking is less physically taxing than most activities, so
don't be afraid to exceed your goals.Set a time. When you first start
walking, decide how many minutes you will walk. Choose a length of time you
know you can make. Do not worry about how short that period is. Just keep
moving until you reach it. 2-5 minutes each day is a good start. That time will
increase from week to week. Pay no attention to how far you walk. It matters
more that you walk for a longer period of time. Faster and farther walks will
come with experienceIncrease your time. Each walk, increase your walking time by 30 seconds to 1 minute until you are able to sustain a 10-minute walk. Again, do not fret if you can't go longer than the day before. Set the goal and keep at it and you will reach it faster than you think. After reaching 10 minutes, your rate of increasing may slow, but continue trying to increase your walking time by 5 minutes each week. Work on speed and difficulty after you are able to walk for 45 minutes each day. Try moving off of the oval and onto the city streets; you will encounter hills and declines, and that will increase the difficulty of your walk. Continue to find more difficult terrain to work with, eventually working up to hiking up hills and cliffs for the ultimate challenge
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