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Walking for fitness: How to trim your waistline, improve your health
Walking is a low-impact exercise with numerous health benefits. Here's how to get started.
By Mayo Clinic staffWalking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is one of your body's most natural forms of exercise. It's safe, simple, doesn't require practice, and the health benefits are many. Here's more about why walking is good for you, and how to get started with a walking program.
Benefits of walking
Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:
- Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
- Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
- Manage your weight
- Improve your mood
- Stay strong and fit
Preparation helps avoid injury
Take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters on your feet or muscle pain.
Wear walking shoes and comfortable, protective clothing
Before you set out, be sure to select comfortable footwear. Also dress in loosefitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.
Warm up
Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm.
Stretch
After warming up, stretch your muscles before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch and side (iliotibial) stretch.
Cool down after each walking session
To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches.
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- Johnson JL, et al. Exercise training amount and intensity effects on metabolic syndrome (from Studies of a targeted risk reduction intervention through defined exercise). The American Journal of Cardiology. 2007;100(12):1759-1766.
- Smith TC, et al. Walking decreased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in older adults with diabetes. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2007;60(3):309-317.
- Okamoto N, et al. Home-based walking improves cardiopulmonary function and health-related QOL in community-dwelling adults. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2007;28(12):1040-1045.
- Murphy MH, et al. The effect of walking on fitness, fatness and resting blood pressure: A meta-analysis of randomised, controlled trials. Preventive Medicine. 2007; 4(5):377-385.
- Tully MA, et al. Randomised controlled trial of home-based walking programmes at and below current recommended levels of exercise in sedentary adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2007;61(9):778-783.
- Walking: A step in the right direction. Weight Control Information Network: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Aim for a healthy weight. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/aim_hwt.pdf. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Your guide to physical activity and your heart. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/phy_active.pdf. Accessed Oct. 2, 2008.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 5, 2008.
