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Get set, Walk!

Believe it or not, walking is a great activity for physical and mental fitness. Being a physiotherapist, I will always recommend that my clients walk at least 40 minutes per day. And the cool part is it doesn’t need any equipment or trainer to monitor. That’s why walking is the best exercise to do whenever & wherever you are. It’s great for people who are trying to lose weight, the elderly, those who have diabetes, hypertension and other heart-related problems, and of course for anyone who wants to get fit. Brisk walking promotes good physical and mental health in middle-aged and elderly persons and hence it should become a priority to develop appropriate brisk walking programs in the community, say the authors of an article published in 2017 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1322769615001134.

Hippocrates, the Greek Physician born in 370 BC and fondly remembered as the “father of Medicine” said walking is the best medicine. It is the quintessential aerobic exercise that can be done by all irrespective of age, social status and cultural beliefs. The American Heart Association recommends brisk aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes for 5 days a week to maintain health and fitness http://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

Did you know? Regular walking has significant beneficial effects on our body. Here are just a few of the benefits of your daily walk:

  • Controls your body weight
  • Regulates your blood pressure
  • Improves your heart health
  • Boosts your immune system
  • Strengthens your bones & muscles
  • Reduces your risk of developing chronic disease like cancer and dementia
  • Uplifts your mood… and many more!

So let me help you start walking with some easy tips: For beginners, I recommend the “five front, five back” walk plan. That’s right, you walk out for five minutes, turn around, and walk back. Increase by five minutes per week and reach 40 minutes of walking in a day. I think this is a realistic and achievable way to get started for an aerobic exercise. And remember to warm-up and cool-down before and after your brisk walking. If you would like to know more about warm-up and cool-down exercises, please click the link to our earlier newsletter http://cardiacwellnessinstitute.com/images/Newsletter-June2017.pdf

How to implement the Habit of Walking and stay motivated:

  • Use stairs instead of lifts/escalators
  • Park your vehicle far away from your office/grocery store and walk for a while
  • Arrange a walking meeting and walking phone calls
  • Walk with your kids or dogs
  • Join in walking groups
  • Walk with your friends but focus on your walk
  • Chose 2 to 3 different areas for your walks so you feel motivated and enjoy your daily walk without getting bored

Guess you are convinced enough to start walking! We have planned a Walkathon just to get you started. Cardiac Wellness Institute is organising Walk Chennai Walk on 29th September 2018 (World Heart Day) from 6.00-7.30 am in Elliot’s beach, Besant Nagar, Chennai. We have some fun events and cool sponsors lined up for the event. So join in and be a part of a healthy society and a better future. Please register yourself, your friends and walking buddies on https://www.townscript.com/e/walk-chennai-walk-324404.

Please contact us for group bookings of more than 10 participants.

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