Join us Wednesdays at 10am January 23-March 27 at Clearview Mall for our Walking Club! It's free, open to all, and no commitment is required. For more information, contact Linda Reichart. lreichart@butlerhealthclinic.org 724-841-0980 x110
Walking is low impact, requires minimal equipment, can be done at any time of day and can be performed at your own pace. You can get out and walk without worrying about the risks associated with some more vigorous forms of exercise. Walking is also a great form of physical activity for people who are overweight, elderly, or who haven’t exercised in a long time
Health Benefits of Walking
Lower blood pressure
Lower blood sugar
Reduced body fat
Stronger bones
Improved Balance
Increased muscle strength and endurance
Reduced risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers
Make it a Routine
To get the health benefits, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be puffing slightly. You use the same amount of energy, no matter what time of day you walk, so do what is most convenient for you.
Shoes
The wrong type of shoe or walking action can cause foot or shin pain, blisters and injuries to soft tissue. Make sure your shoes are comfortable, with appropriate heel and arch supports. Take light, easy steps and make sure your heel touches down before your toes.
Make it Fun
Some suggestions to help make regular walking a pleasurable form of physical activity
varying where you walk
walking the dog
walking with friends
joining a walking club (like ours!)
Ways to keep your daily walk interesting
If you want to stick close to home and limit your walking to neighborhood streets, pick different routes so you don’t get tired of seeing the same sights
Walk at various times of the day. The sights to see first thing in the morning are bound to be different from those of the afternoon or early evening.
Drive to different reserves, park the car and enjoy the views while you walk.
Explore what’s going on around you, notice the sky, the people, the sounds
Written by:
Cara Burns
CHCBC Intern