Spring Walking Fitness

Spring Walking Program

Healthy lifestyles include not just diet but it also includes adding exercise into your life. It has been proven that even moderate exercise can help to stave off even some of the most bothersome and dangerous health issues, such as heart attack, diabetes, and arthritis.

Starting a walking fitness program may be just right for you. Here are some facts and how to get started.

Getting Started

I’m glad you’re ready to walk and a get healthy. But don’t just jump into any exercise program without first checking with your doctor. Get the doctor to release you and let’s go walking! Stay motivated and follow along with the simple guidelines and you will be on your way to walking with ease and enjoyment.

Once you have been cleared by your doctor, here are some pointers to get you walking without disappointment, frustration, boredom, or pain.

The Basics

First things first, please check your shoes. If your shoes are in rough condition, you may want to purchase a new pair. Bad shoes can cause toe, foot, ankle and even hip and knee injury. If you have prescribed orthotics you should have them in your shoes to walk. Lastly, but never the least, please wear socks. Socks provide stability and cushioning for your feet. There is a great deal of friction when one is walking. Blisters can hurt and can aggravate your walking.

Dress appropriately for the weather. In the spring it is still often chilly in the morning or if walking in dusk or twilight, light layers and wicking fabrics will help keep your warm enough to walk and enjoy the experience without being cold. On the other hand, if it becomes warm or very warm simply peeling a layer off will bring relief when the weather suddenly heats up. While not mandatory, sunglasses and hat are true bonuses and should be considered. Finally, wear a sunscreen, burning happens and at times we may not know we are getting burnt. 30 SPF or higher.

Bring Hydration.

 When we walk our bodies actually use up a lot of liquids by being absorbed into our body systems as well as losing via sweating. Replenish by carrying water or sports rehydration. Please stay away from drinks that are actually for social drinking (i.e. soda pop, sweetened tea, orange juice, juice boxes for example) these are not replenishing nor rehydrating to our bodies. One can carry a water bottle or water backpack, or belt that holds up to two bottles of water.

Fun Stuff

If you wear a fitness tracker, don’t forget to wear it. This will/can keep you accountable and help you to ultimately set goals. Don’t forget your music. Playing music can help you stay motivated. One tip, however, is to keep the volume down for hearing safety as well as traffic safety. If you have a volume blasting you cannot hear a car, bicycle or another person walking. Many collisions happen when pedestrians have their music too loud.

Set Goals

Always start slowly. If you have been sedentary all winter long, it is best to limit your activity and distance, as well as speed until you have had time to adjust to the commitment of the program. Remember, if  you cannot reach a certain mile marker, you are not ready; it’s very simple. If you are pushing yourself too much too fast, it can result in injury.

For example, set a goal of just walking 1 block or 5 houses down, and search for your ease of walk. If you are continually laboring, or if you are hurting anywhere you are doing too much.

Please progress as tolerated.

Body Mechanics

Tips as you embark on your walk: plot a path that has a great walking surface. Do not walk where one cannot walk, like a path filled with debris, construction material, or all hills up for examples. Look for actual walk paths that are paved. The paved path will provide you with the most stable and safest surfaces.

Tips for warming up: Please warm up with gentle stretches. Do them slowly and mildly. Slow marching in place for ten counts is welcome as well. Make sure you do a warm down as well, shin splints may be prevalent and stretching legs at the end of a walk MAY keep them away.

Tips for great walking results: Stay at a steady pace. Posture should be in an upright position. Stabilize your shoulders and your core. One can involve their arms by pumping them gently as you stride.

Benefits

*123rf.com stock photo

Walking benefits one in so many ways. Exercise gets the blood flowing, it will provide you with balance and physical strength. Walking provides stamina and general emotional well-being. In the process, one can lose weight and tone. Walking can be done almost anywhere, it does not cost much money and one can make lifelong friends along the way.

Final Thoughts

Team up with a buddy or friend, this will become a social event and it will help you to become accountable for your goals. If you do not have a walking buddy I can become your virtual walk buddy!  Just message me here and I’ll help you keep walking.

I can be reached by message here and you can message me at:

beautyisabeast13@gmail.com Questions? Comments?  I’ll help you achieve your walking goals.