Whilst walking used to be regarded as less effective than running in terms of benefits, it is increasingly being rated as an excellent means of getting fit and healthy. It is a natural form of exercise that we do every day to some extent.

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The risks of suffering an injury are low as long as you follow a gradual programme and don’t do too much too soon. Almost anyone can walk, making it a highly accessible means of getting fit and staying healthy.

All you really need are a pair of comfortable shoes with adequate support and shock absorption and a watch with a second hand if you want to measure the intensity of your walk by measuring your heart rate. The benefits that you derive from walking are dependant on many factors that include how frequently you walk, the distance covered and the intensity of your walks.

Therefore, whilst a half-hour amble through the forest might do wonders to reduce your stress levels, it would not do much in terms of weight loss. However, a programme of regular brisk walking (six to eight kilometres per session), combined with an energy-controlled, low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet should decrease your body fat.

If you are keen to get started, your best bet is to sign up with a walking programme that can help you to achieve your goals in a safe and professional setting where you are carefully monitored. Before you set out on your walking programme, decide what it is you want to achieve.

Do you want to want to lose weight, become healthier or are you doing it just to get fit enough to take part in a particular event? The exercise programme can then be integrated with other lifestyle changes, bringing about the desired goals.

One of the benefits of regular exercise is that you usually become increasingly aware of your lifestyle and almost subconsciously make positive changes to improve your health.

Take note of the following guidelines:

Dos

• Make your walks a priority. Unless you recognise them as an essential feature of your healthy lifestyle, you will soon abandon them.
• Join a scientifically-based walking group that meets regularly. You double your chances of success by meeting with a group.
• Try to convince a friend to join you. You can motivate one another and chat whilst walking rather than “coach-potato chatting”. Ideally, get your spouse or housemate to walk too; the last problem you need is someone sabotaging your attempts to get fit and healthy.
• Invest in a good pair of walking shoes. Take a well-worn pair of shoes to a sports shop where the sales staff are well trained and can make good recommendations. (The most expensive shoe isn’t necessarily the best for you!)
• Set yourself one or two goals a month and reward yourself when you achieve these goals. Goal setting and positive reinforcement are strongly linked to success and sustainability.
• Monitor your progress if you are not part of a group. Keep track of the distance walked, how long it took and what your exercising heart rate over a 10-second period is. Also measure your waist, hips and chest every month.
• Find an attractive variety of routes to avoid boredom. A good idea is to measure out a 3 to 5 km route which you walk as fast as you can once a week. You can use this as a measure of your fitness and performance. Do your other walks at a moderate intensity.
• Read up on the benefits of regular walking i.e. a decrease in your risk of suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression. This information will strengthen your resolve to keep up this healthy habit.

DON’Ts

• Don’t expect significant weight loss in the first few weeks. Walking three to four times a week at a moderate to high intensity can result in fat loss, if combined with high-carbohydrate, low-fat meals. Try to eat five small meals/snacks each day rather than two or three heavy meals. Rather concentrate on body measurements and how your clothes fit than what the scale says.
• Don’t walk alone in the dark and wear a reflective belt/clothing at dawn or dusk.
• Don’t miss sessions early on in your programme - be strict with yourself! In a few months, you will probably be addicted to walking and exercise sessions will be fun and something to which you look forward.
• Don’t overdo it. So many people start off totally fired up and think that more is better and therefore add in many extra walking sessions. This leads to burn-out and is not sustainable. In fact, research shows that those who exercise at a moderate intensity are much more compliant than those who do high-intensity exercise.

The starting point
Now that you are highly motivated and want to get going, here’s how to go about it. Follow the six-week Invest in your Health 5 km programme. But before you do:

• Firstly, men over the age of 40, women over the age of 50, and those with either a chronic disease or risk factors must seek medical clearance.
• Purchase a pair of suitable walking shoes, a watch with a second hand and a reflective belt.
• Measure out routes ranging from 2 km to 5 km in a safe and attractive suburb.
• Do some baseline measurements so that you have a point of reference to indicate progress.
• Purchase some form of log book to record these measurements as well as your walking sessions.
• Warm up for five minutes and stretch before starting out on your walk.

- (Kathleen McQuaide, Sports Scientist)
 

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