Stepping Out With Your Friends
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| Photo by Carol Linder, also a walker that day. |
If you ask experts to identify the single best exercise
you will get a ton of answers, but most agree that if you aren’t into exercise
as a discipline, walking is a good alternative. Some even say it’s the best alternative.
In an article in the New
York Times by Gretchen Reynolds, she quotes Michael Joyner, M.D. from the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “I personally
think that brisk walking is far and away the single best exercise.” He based
his comment on work done by Hiroshi Nose,
M.D., Ph.D., a professor of sports medical sciences at Shinshu University
Graduate School of Medicine in Japan.
The article went on to state that, “Walking has also been
shown by other researchers to aid materially in weight control. A 15-year study
found that middle-aged women who walked for at least an hour a day maintained
their weight over the decades. Those who didn’t gained weight.”
As a gentle, low-impact exercise walking is accessible
and can become a companionable social activity. It can also inspire you to
become more conscientious out fitness and health. That has proven to be the
case for our church healthy lifestyle initiative. We started Getting Fit
Together in March opening it up to the public with the idea of establishing
small group activities that would provide motivation and support. The idea was
to have a weight loss group, nutrition and cooking group and fitness groups
across the spectrum, and develop other groups based on need and participation.
The walking groups have proven to be the biggest draw. It’s
something everyone can do and it works. Here are a few reasons why (from the Mayo Clinic
website):
Benefits of walking
- Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
- Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
- Manage your weight
- Improve your mood
- Stay strong and fit
“All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of
brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the ‘no
pain, no gain’ talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the
risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as
jogging.”
Motivation
If the obvious benefits don't ring the bell for you, think about walking with a group. It's beneficial in many ways.
- When you know someone may be waiting for you, you are more apt to get up and get with it.
- Walking with a group challenges you to increase your intensity or the distance you walk.
- Group participation may motivate you to walk in marathons or become a runner.
- You may be inspired to start a cardio program.
Ultimately it’s
about overall fitness and health. That first step is your journey toward a healthier you. These links are great sources of motivation and getting
started walking for your health.
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