Walk Your Way Into Easy, Inexpensive Health

Walking one’s way to fitness was one of the presentation topics at the 55th annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Indianapolis this week. Of particular interest is that walking as a means of physical fitness exercise is so available, easy to accomplish, and inexpensive to get started that almost everyone can partake.

The ACSM recommends no less than 30 minutes of exercise at the moderate level of intensity at least five times per week. When walking is the chosen form of exercise, all the equipment that’s needed is a good pair of walking shoes. There’s no need for expensive equipment, gym membership fees, classes, or trainers so walking is easily affordable to people all across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Some people enjoy using a pedometer when they walk, to measure the number of footsteps taken each day. Ten thousand steps per day is the recommendation. Pedometers can be purchased for less than $20 but more pricey units are available also.

Walking is relatively easy to work into one’s daily routine, too. Every step matters, including those used walking the dog or walking to work or shopping instead of taking motorized forms of transportation.

Walking was the topic of a separate session presented at the ACSM annual meeting. That study focused on sitting time versus walking time throughout a typical day. It seems the more a person sits, the lower the overall activity level for the day.

A third study used walking as a measure of cardiovascular fitness in women aged 45 to 65. Their cardiovascular fitness levels were measured after a long-distance corridor walk, described as 10 laps totaling 400 meters in distance.

Source: American College of Sports Medicine

Filed under: Exercise, Lifestyle, Prevention