Team Corely: Walking for the Health of It!

Walking is one of the easiest and simplest exercises you can perform for overall health and it doesn’t require any special equipment or a lot of money to get started. If you think just walking seems to be too easy of an exercise to be an effective fitness method then...think again. Walking can lower blood pressure, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, raise HDL (good) cholesterol, reduce risk or manage type 2 diabetes, reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, and manage your weight. Did you know that walking is a weight bearing exercise that helps maintain bone density and also walking is very easy on the joints? The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association recommends a moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week for 30 minutes. Walking at a brisk pace enables you to meet the criteria for physical activity for health benefits.

To start a walking program all you would need is a well fitted walking or running shoe with a flexible sole that provides a good arch support and plenty of cushion for your heels. Your clothing should be loose fitting and comfortable. If you’re walking outside make sure to wear sunscreen and don’t forget the sunglasses for the sun. If you want to keep track of the distance you walk, a pedometer would be a good investment.

So there you have it, starting a walking program can be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. The health benefits that come along with walking are too numerous to be ignored.

Lassonia Corely
Exercise Specialist
Sinclair Community College