"No Pain, No Gain".
"Pain is only temporary".
"You are stronger than this".
"Suck it up, Buttercup".
These are mantras we have all heard over the years when working out or dieting. Sure, each statement can sometimes motivate us at the right moment. Sometimes helping us push past something to realize something stronger in ourselves than before. However, is it really necessary to feel the burn, pain or sheer exhaustion in order to reap the rewards of healthy living? Maybe you are in it for the long term and simply want to improve your habits? If so, then perhaps learning more about walking your way to wellness may help. Especially during these “safer at home” days where you are unable to go to the gym or participate in a sport or competition, walking may be a mood mover for you.
Basically, the human body was designed to be a 3.5 mph walking machine when at its best health. Walking at 3.5 mph means one is able to walk about 2 miles in 34 minutes. The goal with walking at this brisk pace is that you should be able to walk a longer distance without pain and strain. However, much science has determined that walking even at an even more casual pace of 3.0 mph will work for improving one’s health when done
5 days per week for 30 minutes.
The research supports that consistent daily movement is the key over pace or distance for long term wellness.
Another benefit with walking is that you don't need an expensive gym membership, special skill, or even a class to do it daily. The main thing is to walk naturally and comfortably consistently. But if you want to aim for an ideal stride, a few tips may help.
Try to keep your posture erect with your chin up, your eyes forward, and your shoulders square.
Keep your back straight, belly flat, and butt tucked in. Keep your arms close to your torso, bent at the elbow.
Take a natural stride but try to lengthen your stride as you improve.
Land on your heels, and then roll forward to push off with your toes.
Swing your arms with each stride, and keep up a steady, rhythmic cadence. With a natural arm-swing included in your gait, you are going to get more energy released and move along better with rhythm.
If walking outside is a challenge either due to weather, “Safer at Home” guidelines or current physical limitations, walking in place is a great option! If walking in your living room seems boring, remember you don’t need to do it for long periods of time to get results. Start by walking in place for 5 minutes several times a day. This could be a simple break you take every hour at the home office to offset the harmful effects of too much sitting. Or, if you watch TV at night, stand up and walk in place during commercials. These efforts may seem small, but they will add up over time and make an important contribution to achieving your health goals.
Look at how easy this could work for your benefit while watching a 60 minute TV show. Basically, there are about 20-22 minutes of commercials, therefore why not put that time to good use instead of going into the kitchen for a quick snack? If you use the techniques below to get the most out of walking in place during the 20 minutes of commercials, you could burn a little over 100 calories. Equally, when reading a book, you could take a walking break every chapter and walk in place for 5 minutes. That means for every 10 minutes of reading, you would follow it up with 5 minutes of walking.
Walking in Place Techniques:
Use a marching technique. This means lifting your heels toward your butt and placing them back on the floor at a quick pace.
Swing your arms. Try to move your arms as you would normally when walking outdoors.
Use a heart rate monitor. This will make you aware if you’re raising your heart rate enough to get into zone 2 or 3 of your maximum heart rate.
Dress for it. If you’re going to march for an extended period of time, treat it as normal exercise. Wear walking shoes, warm up before you increase your pace and stretch afterward.
Up your calorie burning by adding in strength exercises. Holding light hand weights while you perform bicep curls and arm circles is a great way to tone your upper body.
Wanting more than walking?
Add higher-intensity intervals. When walking in place at a moderate speed, up the intensity for 20 seconds periodically. This helps you mix things up and keeps you from getting bored while also burning more calories.
Add burpees. After a couple minutes of walking in place, perform a burpee or two. It’s a great total-body move that helps build strength.
In addition to burning calories and promoting cardiovascular health, walking provides time to so much more for your mood. Here are some of the top things walking promotes inside me:
Brainstorming time, reflection, friend time, couple time, connecting with my kids or mom,
fantastic music listening, connect with nature, cry, ponder life’s wonder,
pray, listen to the surf and love myself.
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