It’s time to MARCH and pick up your step!
The best exercise is the exercise you will do! Sometimes it’s as easy as 1,2 buckle your shoes and 3,4 get out the door! Walking is the #1 participation sport in America. Walking is easy to adapt and maintain as part of your daily routine for fitness.
Choose a time of day!
To insure a successful walking program, chose the best time of day for you – then stick to a specific time. When do you have the most energy? Some people walk in the morning to get ready for the day or before the heat index is higher. Some walk during lunch hour. Others walk towards the end of the day to relieve tension and stress. Just find the time for walking. It may not be necessary to walk the same time every day, but just be sure you schedule your walks. Every time you miss a session, it will be that much harder to reach your goals.
Some people don’t have a full 30 to 60 minutes to walk. That’s OK. Recent research suggests that three 10 minute or two 15 minute periods provide about the same benefits as one 30 minute period. So try to accumulate a full 30 to 60 minutes by doing some combination of the following:
10 to 15 minute walk during your breaks
10 to 15 minute walk after your meals
FIND A PLACE TO WALK
You should maintain your exercise program year-round. So it’s best to choose a place where you can walk all the time. For outdoor walking, find a course with a smooth soft surface that does not intersect with traffic. When weather prevents outdoor walking, walk around an indoor track at a school or recreation center. Many people are putting on their walking shoes and walking around shopping malls. Regardless of where you walk, be sure it is well -lighted.
Choose a walking partner
It’s OK to walk alone. If a companion will make walking more enjoyable and help you to stick to your program, find someone else to walk with you. It is safer to walk with someone and will add variety to your walking routine. Your walking partner should be able to keep the same schedule and walk at the same pace as you. If you can’t find a partner then try a personal fitness trainer that can coach you to your exercise potential and help you monitor your heart rate, fat loss, and muscle growth.
A brisk stroll can take you far along the road to FITness! Are you ready to put one step in front of the other? Left, right, left, right…..
Suzanne Elliott, MA, Ed has been involved in elderly, kid & teen fitness and team training since 1972. She is a Master Yoga Teacher, Health Minister and Life Coach. She and her husband, Joe, live in Cape Canaveral, involved in their city, sponsor Keep Brevard Beautiful Beach Yoga, Walks and Clean-ups, and together, own H.O.T. YOGA on the Island. www.YogaOnTheIsland.com
By Suzanne Elliott, M.A., Ed.
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