Walk This Way

Look down. You’ll see two of the best pieces of fitness equipment ever devised — your own feet! Walking is an easy way to be more active. You can do it almost anywhere, anytime, and all you need are comfortable shoes, so it’s practically free.

Walking helps tone muscles, strengthen bones, burn calories, boost energy and relieve depression and anxiety. It may help reduce your risk for chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Becoming more fit and healthy can be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.

How to Get Started

You can design a walking program that’s right for you, whether you’re just starting to get active or you’re a regular exerciser. Whatever your fitness level, it’s best to ease into a new walking routine. Going too far or too fast sets you up for stiff, sore muscles or joints and injuries such as strains or sprains.

Most people don’t need to check with their doctor first to start fitness walking at a beginner level. But you should talk with your doctor if you have any condition that might keep you from starting safely, such as heart trouble, asthma, joint problems, or pain or severe breathlessness with activity. Also talk with your doctor before launching a moderate or vigorous walking program if you have a chronic health problem or you’re a man older than age 40 or a woman older than age 50.

Before each walk, warm up: Stroll slowly for five minutes and then stretch gently. After your jaunt, cool down: Walk slowly for five minutes and then stretch again.

Advice for the Beginner

Start by making walking a habit. Schedule three to five walks per week.

After warming up, walk for five to 10 minutes — or more if you’re comfortable. Then cool down. Choose a leisurely pace. Stay at or below a pace where your heart rate and breathing increase but you can still carry on a conversation. This is called the “talk test.” This will probably be around 2 to 2½ miles per hour, which is equal to walking a mile in 24 to 30 minutes.

Gradually challenge yourself by walking for longer, faster or both. Every week, add three minutes to your walk. For example, if you did three 10-minute walks during week one, do three 13-minute walks during week two.

Walker’s tip: Another way to track your walks is to use a step counter, which is also called a pedometer. This is a small, inexpensive device worn at the hip or waist. See “Step It Up with a Pedometer” on page 10 for more information.

Move to a Moderate Pace

Continue increasing your time and pace gradually. Also increase the frequency of your walks to four and then five days a week.

A good long-term goal is to walk at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes a day on most days. “Moderate” means you’re breathing heavily but can still pass the talk test. As you get conditioned, you’ll need to pick up the pace to achieve this. Aim for a brisk pace of 4 miles per hour, equal to walking a mile in 15 minutes.

Walker’s tip: You can break your 30 minutes into two or three shorter walks of at least 10 minutes each. Eventually build up to being able to walk briskly for 30 minutes without stopping.

Increase the Intensity

Once you’ve mastered 30 continuous minutes at a brisk pace, strive to go longer and faster. Keep adding a few minutes to your walks every week, building up to 40- to 60-minute outings, and move those feet a bit faster.

Keep the increases gradual. More vigorous walking means greater risk for injuries. So push yourself, but do so wisely. Don’t walk vigorously more than five days per week because your body needs time to rest and repair.

Walker’s tip: Increase the intensity by pushing your child in a stroller, marching up hills, carrying a backpack or spending part of your walk climbing stairs.

Simple Ways to Walk More

Look for opportunities to squeeze in steps. Take short breaks throughout the day to walk, and walk during lunchtime. If you can get somewhere (or at least part of the way there) on foot, do it: Walk to school, work or errands — anywhere your feet can take you. Try these ideas, too:

• Socialize with family and friends by sauntering around the neighborhood or a park, circling the school track or hiking a nature trail.
• Combine walking with a hobby. Take photographs, watch birds or listen to music or audiobooks.
• Sign up for a walking event to support a charity or political cause you care about.

Stay on Track

Keep a walking diary. This can help motivate you and show you how far you’ve come. Write specific, measurable, realistic goals, such as the days on which you’ll walk and the duration of each walk. Record what you actually do. Think how satisfying it will feel to see the numbers build from 10 minutes a day, three times a week, to 30 minutes a day, five times a week. Now get out there and start hoofing it!

3 Tips for Healthy, Happy Feet

These simple suggestions can help keep you on your feet:

1. Wear thick, absorbent acrylic socks to wick sweat away from your skin.
2. Choose well-cushioned, stable shoes that fit snugly around your heel, support your arch, and leave just enough room to wiggle your toes. Before purchasing them, try on both shoes with the socks you’ll walk in. Then lace them up and walk around the store.
3. When possible, walk on a dirt trail, rubberized track, or treadmill instead of concrete or asphalt, which are harder on your feet and joints.

Step It Up with a Pedometer

According to one study, people tend to walk more if they wear a pedometer, set a goal for total daily steps, and keep a step diary. They typically add around 2,000 steps, or about 1 mile of walking, to their day. Researchers reported these results in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association after analyzing data from more than two dozen studies about pedometer use. Overall, pedometer users increased their activity level by 27 percent.

How Many Steps?

Many sources have publicized the goal of walking 10,000 steps, or about 5 miles, every day for good health. That’s admirable, but it may not be realistic for beginners. Most adults take 4,000 to 6,000 steps during normal daily activity. Thirty more minutes of walking at 3 miles per hour (somewhere between a leisurely and brisk pace) will add about 3,000 steps.

To set your own goal, wear a pedometer all day for a few days to determine your usual daily steps. Then consider your fitness level. Are you a beginner starting with a 10-minute walk at 2 miles per hour? This will add about 660 steps to your day. Are you an athlete who can do a 60-minute walk at 4 miles per hour? This will add about 8,000 steps. Set short-term goals to gradually increase your daily total.

Models and Features

Basic pedometers only count your steps. They usually cost $10 to $15. Multifeature models may estimate your distance or calories burned based on your step count, stride length, and weight. Some have a built-in radio or can store seven days of data. Others come with software that lets you download your data to a personal computer for tracking. These may cost $15 to $60.

Look for pedometers at local or online retailers that carry fitness or health items, such as sporting goods stores and drugstores.

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