Walking for Wellness

by Laura Rodholm

Why should YOU Walk for Wellness?

Walking will increase

  • Energy, stamina, and metabolism
  • Sound restful sleep
  • Muscle tone and bone density
  • The good cholesterol – HDL
  • Blood circulation
  • Wellness, fitness, and happiness

Walking will decrease

  • Risk factors of coronary artery disease
  • Risk of diabetes (lowers blood sugars and body fat levels)
  • Blood pressure
  • Symptoms of back pain, PMS, arthritis
  • Episodes of the common cold
  • Symptoms of stress

How to begin Walking for Wellness?

Set yourself up for Success!

  • Plan to set a training schedule, you need to make time to fit in fitness, if you do not plan for it, it will not happen.
  • Choose an accountability partner to walk with, this will keep you motivated!
  • Wear proper footwear, walking or jogging shoes that are for your foot type.
  • Start out slowly, hardly work up a sweat at all in the beginning. You need to give your heart, bones and muscles a chance to prepare for change!

Learn how to take your heart rate, and walk within 60-70% of your target heart rate in order to experience the aerobic benefits of walking.

220-age = max heart rate, take 60-70% of this number and walk at the pace that puts you at this target heart rate. This will be your guide to how you really are doing!

Training Guidelines

For new walkers:
Week one: 5 minute walk three days a week.
Week two: 10 minute walk one day, 7 minute walk 3 days per week.
Week three: 15 minute walk one day, 10 minute walk 3 days per week.
Week four: 15 minutes of walking 4 days per week.

For semi-regular walkers: Take to 25 in 30 challenge! Walk 25 miles in one month, one mile a day 25 of 30 days.

For regular walkers: Sign up and train for a charity or community 5K walk to challenge yourself and participate in a fun event! Vary your training by having slower paced long walking days, short faster days, or mix one minute bursts in with your walks.