Starting a Walking Program

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Starting aWalking Program

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Class Objectives

• Discuss the benefits of walking
• Tips on starting a walking program
• Using a pedometer
• Demonstrate proper warm-up and cool-down
  techniques
• Walk!

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Benefits of Walking
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Walking

• Walking is one of the easiest ways to be
  physically active. You can do it almost anywhere
  and at any time. Walking is also inexpensive. All
  you need is a pair of shoes with sturdy heel
  support.

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Why Walk?

• Gives you more energy
• Makes you feel good
• Helps you to relax
• Reduces stress
• Helps you sleep better
• Tones your muscles
• Helps control your appetite
• Increases the number of calories your body uses

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Health Benefits of Walking

• Walking helps prevent
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Arthritis
• Depression

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Walking and Health Benefits

• Doctors at Harvards Brigham and Womens Hospital
  say that if everyone were to walk briskly for 30
  minutes a day, the incidence of many chronic
  diseases would be cut by 30 or 40 percent.

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Walking and Health Benefits

• Women who exercised after breast cancer reduced
  their chance of dying from the disease by ¼ to ½
  depending on how active they were.
• Hours walked Improvement s
• 1-3 hours per week 19
• 3-5 hours per week 54
• 5-8 hours per week 42
• Over 8 hours 29

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Walking and Health Benefits

• Women who walk for four or more hours a week have
  a 40 reduced rate of hip fractures compared with
  women who to little or no activity.
• Women who exercise even more an hour a day or
  walking cut their hip fracture risk by 50.
  This is about the same as women who take hormone
  therapy.
• (Journal of the American Medical Association,
  Vol.288, pg 2300)

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Walking and Stress Relief

• Exercise stimulates the bodys production of
  endorphins, our natural mood enhancers.
• Exercise promotes an increase in phenylacetic
  acid, a chemical linked to our attention levels
  and our attention levels and overall physical
  energy.

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Walking and Relationships

• Walking allows couples and families time to
  enhance communication and allows time to talk
  about issues.
• Make after dinner walks a family affair.
• Go on a walk and talk session with a friend
  instead of meeting for a meal or coffee.

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Walking and Weight

• Health and Human Services Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention reports
• Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, with 30
  being obese.
• About 1 in 4 Americans adults engage in little or
  no regular physical activity.

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Walking and Weight

• 1 pound 3,500 calories
• For every pound you want to lose, you must expend
  3,500 calories worth of energy above the total
  you consume.
• Beginning at age 35, unless action is taken,
  adults lose a quarter to a third pound of muscle
  every year and gain that in body fat.

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Walking and Weight

• Walking is one of the best forms of physical
  activity because its aerobic, which means it
  uses up oxygen efficiently, causing your body to
  burn stored fat.
• Walking also strengthens muscles and increases
  muscular development which increases metabolism
  allowing you to burn calories after you stop
  moving.

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Walking and Weight

• Vigorously walking for a half an hour burns 200
  calories and makes your body burn calories faster
  the rest of the day. (Total Wellness, October
  2003)

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Walking and Cutting Calories

• Women who exercised 50-60 minutes and consumed
  about 1,500 calories a day, lost and kept off
  12-14 of their starting weight or about 25-30
  pounds. They were burning 2,000 calories or more
  a week with exercise.
• Those who exercised 30-40 minutes and consumed
  about 1,500 calories a day lost and kept off 9
  of their starting weight, or about 16-20 pounds.
  (Journal of the American Medical Association)

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Starting a Walking Program
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Is Walking Okay for Me?

• Consult your doctor before you start a walking
  program if you are inactive, over age 45, or have
  a history of heart disease or orthopedic
  problems.
• Pay attention to several warning signs when
  walking. Stop walking and seek immediate medical
  care if you experience uncomfortable pressure,
  fullness, squeezing, or chest pain. Pain may
  radiate towards the neck or arms. Or you may
  feel dizzy, nauseous or unable to breathe.

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How Do I Start a Walking Program?

• Think of your walk in three parts warm-up,
  walking, cool-down.
• Start gradually to avoid soreness.
• Drink water before, during and after.

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How Do I Start a Walking Program?

• Establish a regular walking routine, with some
  flexibility for weather and schedule changes.
• Find a walking partner.
• Wear correct clothing and shoes. If walking
  outside, wear the proper clothing.
• Choose a safe place to walk.

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Safety Tips

• Walk in the daytime or at night in well-lighted
  areas.
• Walk in a group if possible.
• Notify someone of you or your groups walking
  time and route.
• Do not wear jewelry.
• Do not wear headphones.
• Be aware of your surroundings.

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How Often Should I Walk?

• 30-60 minutes of moderate physical activity most
  days of the week.
• If you cant do 30- min.of continuous exercise,
  you can still get benefits from two or three
  10-minute exercise sessions throughout the day.
• A little exercise is better than none, but more
  is better than a little.
• People who do moderately intensive exercise
  consistently are more likely to lose weight than
  those doing hard-core high intensity workouts
  occasionally.

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Taking the First Step

• Walking right is very important
• Walk with your chin up and your shoulders held
  slightly back.
• Walk so that the heel of your foot touches the
  ground first. Roll your weight forward.
• Walk with your toes pointed forward.
• Swing your arms as you walk.

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Starting Out

• Measure average daily steps or time.
• Start on a level surface.
• Start at a slow steady pace and build up to a
  quicker one. Stay at a pace where talking is
  possible but singing is difficult.

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Keeping it Up

• Increase daily steps each week. Experts
  recommend 10,000 daily steps a day for long term
  health. Set yourself a daily goal.
• Move arms.
• Increase time.
• Use hills.
• Increase intensity - reach your target heart
  rate.

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Using a Pedometer
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Using a Pedometer

• Choose the right one for you.
• Securely fasten it to your belt or waistband.
• Use it as a guide to track your current activity
  level.

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Pedometer Instructions

• Start the measurement by pressing the Reset
  key.
• After stopping its counting, the LCD will display
  the step paces by pressing the Mode key
• mileage
• kilometer
• calorie

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Warming Up and Cooling Down
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Warming Up

• Before you start to walk, do stretches to
  warm-up.
• Remember not to bounce when you stretch.
• Perform slow movements and stretch only as far as
  you feel comfortable.

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Side Reaches

• Reach one arm over your head and to the side.
  Keep your hips steady and your shoulders straight
  to the side. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on
  the other side.

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Knee Pull

• Lean your back against a wall. Keep your head,
  hips, and feet in a straight line. Pull one knee
  to your chest, hold for 10 seconds, then repeat
  with the other leg.

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Wall Push

• Lean your hands on a wall with your feet about
  3-4 feet away from the wall. Bend one knee and
  point it toward the wall. Keep your back leg
  straight with your foot flat and your toes
  pointed straight ahead. Hold for 10 seconds and
  repeat with the other leg.

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Leg Curl

• Pull your right foot to your buttocks with your
  right hand. Keep your knee pointing straight to
  the ground. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat with
  your left foot and hand.

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Cooling Down
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Last Thought

• In the first month of exercising regularly,
  youll start to feel the difference.
• In the second month, youll see the difference.
• In the third month, others will notice the
  difference. - Karen Voight, personal trainer