How to Walk for a Healthy Heart

Start slowly and listen to your body.

• 1

  Start off gently. The biggest mistake people make is to go from doing no exercise to doing too much, too fast. This can make you sore, overly tired and increases your risk of injury. It also changes your daily schedule and if you try to exercise too much at first you may abandon your program as it interferes with other activities.

• 2

  Begin with just three days per week.If you are just starting out try to walk three days per week for fifteen to twenty minutes. If doing this amount of time all at once is too much, break it up into two or three sessions throughout your day. Just make sure you do fifteen to twenty minutes total on the three days. Stay with this for one to two weeks. Let your body adapt and give yourself time to get used to fitting exercise into your daily routine.

• 3

  Add another day.Then the next week try to walk four days. Then in another one or two weeks add the fifth day in. From here work on increasing the time you walk each day. Just add a couple of minutes on when you can. Your goal is to work up to walking for at least thirty minutes on five days per week.

• 4

  Cut back if you feel too sore.Remember if you start feeling sore or fatigued back off a bit. This may seem like a slow process but it will allow you to gradually adapt to your new program which will make you more likely to stick wit it, instead of being one of the sixty percent that abandon their exercise program within weeks of starting it.

Plan a time of day.

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  Make a commitmentThe reason most people do not stick with an exercise program is that they do too much too soon and do not make it a priority in their lives. It is easy to say you will exercise but as the day goes along there can be many excuses to not do your exercise session. You need to decide that your health is important and your exercise session needs to be scheduled into your day.

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  Decide what time of day works best.Figure out a time of day that you know you can commit to exercise. What time of day do you have the most energy? For some people this is the first thing in the morning for others it is later in the day. If you are balancing work and family commitments what time of day so you have the least amount of commitments? This might mean getting up a bit earlier in the morning or giving up some TV time.

• 7

  Write it in your calander.Actually make out a schedule of your day with all of your work and family commitments and include appointments and any hobbies or activities you usually do. Then figure out a realistic time where you will actually walk. Use the schedule in section one to slowly start to add this time into your day. Give this time the same priority that you would to work or a doctor’s appointment.

• 8

  Make your walk a non-negotiable activity. The hardest thing is to get started. However after walking regularly for a while you will see how much better you are feeling which will give you the motivation to continue.

Work at the right intensity.

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  Walk like you mean it.Many people claim they walk all the time but with no benefit. This is usually because they are not walking briskly enough and not focusing on fitness. Like any cardiovascular exercise you need to walk fast enough to get out of breath and break a light sweat. Being able to walk a fifteen minute mile is a good target to work up to – however this is a very brisk pace.

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  Rate your level of exertion. As you walk make sure you take long strides and swing your arms to help raise your heart rate. While it can help to walk with a friend make sure you do not spend your session talking. One test to see if your heart rate is at the right level is the talk test. You should not be so out of breath that you can not answer a simple yes or no question, however you should not be able to carry on a complete conversation either. Your energy should be on breathing deeply and evenly and you should be out of breath to the point you can not talk steady.

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  Make sure you feel like you are exercising.You can also use the rating of perceived exertion to test your level. This is a scale that ranges from one to ten. You rate how you feel with one being asleep and ten being completely exhausted. You want to feel like you are at a five to seven where you know you are exercising but you can maintain the pace for the whole session.

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  Be careful about taking your heart rate if you are on medication. Many medications interfere with your heart rate. Talk with your cardiologist or primary care doctor about what a safe heart rate is for you. If your doctor tells you it is OK, look into using a monitor. Wearing a monitor is a much more effective way to monitor your intensity level then taking your own pulse.

Get the right equipment.

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  Get good sneakers. Make sure you pick shoes that are well cushioned and supportive. If you have concerns with foot pain or other conditions look into gel inserts or professional orthotics that can minimize stress and discomfort when you walk.

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  Shop for the right treadmill.If you decide to walk on a treadmill make sure you get a good quality one. Cheaper versions often do not provide a lot of stability or cushioning and you can end up with sore knees and hips. It should have sturdy handrails that you can hold onto while standing up straight. You should not have to bend over to hold on. As you walk there should be some give to the belt to cushion your landing. Many fitness stores will let you try out the treadmill in the store before you buy.

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  Make sure you have a water bottle with you.Dehydration can happen quickly especially in the summer months. This can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue. Drink before you walk, during your walk, and after your walk. Carry a bottle with you and sip from it constantly throughout your walk and your day.