Getting Fit, One Step At A Time

This time of year, television is full of commercials urging us to buy exercise equipment or join a health club. Those choices are fine but they cost money. You can walk yourself to a healthy weight without buying any gear. Other advantages of walking are that it is a low-impact exercise, it can be done anywhere and it doesn't require learning a new skill. You learned to walk a long time ago.

The benefits of any physical activity include losing or maintaining weight; reducing high blood pressure; cutting the risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and several forms of cancer; and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

You can walk in your neighborhood, on a treadmill, or at an indoor shopping mall. For a more scenic route, hike on a converted railroad line. The Rails To Trails Conservancy wants to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines. You can find one of these trails on the group's website.

 If you enjoy walking and want to meet like-minded individuals, enter a 5K (3.1 mile) walk or run. Find a walking event near you. Many people get motivated by training with a partner. Having a buddy can get you out of the house on days when you just don't feel like walking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. That equals five days of walking for 30 minutes. Or, you can exercise vigorously for 75 minutes a week (five days of 15 minutes).

A daily walk, combined with healthy eating, will deliver you to a healthier weight. Walking for 30 minutes at a moderate pace will burn 140 calories for a person weighing 154 pounds. (A vigorous pace burns 230 calories.)

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