It is recommended that everyone irrespective of any age should start walking as an exercise & should of course select the best walking shoe for them. But before starting walking, we need to know certain things about it. In this article we will provide you with the said details.
Before you use walking as exercise
1. Make sure you do not eat an hour before going out for a walk. Digesting takes a lot of energy from the body. If you exercise right away after eating, you are going to overburden yourself. Fruits or juices are okay, since they do not tax the system as much.
2. Exercise alone will not make you healthy. No amount of walking or jogging will help the body if you do not eat properly or have greater affection with cigarettes and alcohol.
3. It does not really matter when you do it. Although we acknowledge that an early morning walk is better because the air is significantly fresher, for people who only have the afternoon to do it, it is okay.
4. Avoid busy roads. You need fresh air with green & clean surroundings. The aim is to relax the mind as well as exercise the body. If you are taking more carbon dioxide than oxygen, you are harming your body. So, find a nice, peaceful and green place.
HOW WALKING AFFECTS YOUR BODY COMPONENTS
Lets learn how walking affects our body components. It affects the five components of fitness:
1. BODY COMPOSITION: Walking four times a week, 45 minutes each time, the average person can lose 18 pounds in a year with no change in diet. Walking can help you trim fat as well as tone your muscles.
2. CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS: Walking, at any level or speed, two or three times a weak for at least 20 minutes increases cardiovascular strength. By increasing the strength of your heart and lungs, you increase your ability not only to exercise longer and harder but also to perform everyday task without tiring.
3. FLEXIBILITY: As with any endurance activity, walking doesn't significantly increase your flexibility.
Every activity uses certain muscles groups more than others. Therefore you don't stretch the muscles that walking uses extensively. They'll tighten, straighten and perhaps cause pains or strains. These exercises are vital for remaining free injury.
4. MUSCULAR ENDURANCE: All walkers develop a moderate amount of endurance, which enables them to exercise longer before becoming exhausted. Race walker have high endurance comparable to that of marathon runners. Walking helps build your ability to do something longer without fatigue.
5. MUSCULAR STRENGTH: You will gain muscular strength with walking but probably not enough for well rounded fitness. Muscles that get an extra workout in walking include the entire back of the leg, calves, hamstrings, and gluteus. You will use muscles in the back of shoulders when you swing your arms. Walking provides other physical benefits and prevents dangers associated with other types of exercise. Walking is a low-impact exercise, which puts less strain on bones and tissues.
Ref: http://www.healthnwealth.in/morning-walk.html
Benefits of brisk walking
Walk for a healthy body
Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay fit. You may have a busy life, but try and introduce physical activity in your life. A moderate dose of physical exercise for 30 minutes (if you can’t manage that much, even 15 minutes is okay to begin with) a day is enough to keep you healthy. This form of aerobic fitness can lift your mood, make you physically fit, and improve the quality of your life.
Before you start
Wear the right pair of walking shoes and comfortable clothes. Also remember to carry and drink water while you walk, to hydrate yourself. Walk for 15-20 minutes for the first three days, and then gradually increase the time. You can use a pedometer to count the steps you take.
Walk your way to a healthy heart
Walking can lower your cholesterol levels and decrease the risks for cardiovascular diseases. It can also strengthen your heart, muscles and lungs. A strong heart with an increased heart rate is able to carry more blood to the rest of your body. Brisk walking every day lets you burn up to 200 calories and reduces body fat.
Cuts your risk of hypertension and diabetes
According to a study, regular walking improves the BMI (body mass index) and blood pressure levels in people with diabetes. Allowing muscle movement leads to more use of glucose by the muscle cells. This also involves utilization of more insulin, which improves blood sugar levels. Low blood pressure levels can also protect against kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.
Reduces risks and effects of cancer
Research shows that in colon cancer, a speedy walk can give less time to the carcinogens present in the food to come in touch with the intestinal lining and reduce the risks of having cancer from the start itself. With improved blood circulation, walking brings in positive energy within the body and therefore lessens the side effects of chemotherapy.
Photo Credit: myhealthyfamiliy.wordpress.com |
Protect against miscarriages
Despite the several body changes during pregnancy, regular walking can benefit you in many ways. It can reduce fatigue and related pains, help lose weight easily, and lower risks of gestational diabetes. Walking can also prevent spontaneous abortions by lowering down the hormonal fluctuations which cause uterine contractions.
Ref: http://health.sify.com/11-benefits-of-brisk-walking/
In this article we have discussed about what to know before starting walking as an exercise, how walking affects our different body components, a brief intro on facts of brisk walking. So first choose the best walking shoe for you to start and then continue walking to keep yourself fit for ages by preventing most of the diseases that comes around us...
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