Walking for Heart Health

Walking is the simplest way to fit exercise into your life—and so beneficial

Walking is such a basic and essential part of daily life—something most of us do automatically—that it's hard to think of it as meaningful exercise.

But walking is actually an ideal way to get fit and improve your heart health. It's low impact, inexpensive, and can be done indoors or out. Best of all, research consistently shows that it's great for lowering blood pressure, helping with weight loss and weight maintenance, and improving blood lipids and blood glucose—all of which can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The American Heart Association has recently launched their Start! Campaign to get the word out about the heart benefits of walking at www.startwalkingnow.org. And with a little planning, this natural and necessary activity can be your ticket to a higher fitness level and better heart health.

Getting Started on a Walking Program

Just about anyone can start a walking program, but it's a good idea to check with your doctor before you take that first step. If you haven't been active for a while or you have any particular health issues, your physician may suggest some precautions, such as not exceeding a specific heart rate. Here's what to do once you've gotten the all-clear:

Buy the right pair of walking shoes.

Choose supportive, comfortable shoes that are designed for walking. Grab the shoe at the front and back and bend it; the shoe should bend right near the ball of the foot, your foot's natural hinge point, and the heel should be stiff. For the best fit, you should be able to wiggle your toes without experiencing slippage in the heel, and the sides should be snug but not tight. Walking shoes usually wear out after about six months, so be sure to replace them at that point.

Scope out the walking route.

When walking outdoors, try to walk on solid, even surfaces. It's also important to avoid busy roads, because, in addition to the dangers of traffic, polluted air decreases the amount of oxygen that reaches your heart. And you don't have to be derailed by bad weather. Many malls have indoor walking clubs, or you might consider investing in a treadmill or joining a gym with treadmills or an indoor track. You can even walk right in your own living room using Start! Walking at Home videos, produced by Exercise TV in conjunction with the American Heart Association, at www.startwalkingnow. org/res_exercisetv.jsp.

Enlist a walking buddy or two.

Walking with someone will keep you safer—and more motivated. To find a walking group in your area, visit the website of the American Volkssport Association at www.ava.org. Your local Y or community center also may have walking groups.

Walking Tips

The American Heart Association recommends that adults engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate- intensity physical activity at least five days a week. Whether you do the 30 minutes all at once or break it up into two or three shorter walks a day, here are some ways to stride successfully:

Practice good posture.

Keep your head lifted, your stomach pulled in, and your shoulders relaxed. Place your heel down first, then roll your foot forward. Swing your arms naturally; each arm should move with the opposite leg.

Warm up and cool down.

Warming up primes your body for exercise by increasing blood flow to the heart and loosening up your joints and muscles. Walking slowly or marching in place for a few minutes before beginning your walk will accomplish this. Slowing down gradually over a five-minute period at the end of your walk allows your heart rate to decrease slowly to resting level. It's also important to do a few simple stretching exercises after a walk to prevent muscle soreness or strain.

Be aware of your breathing and heart beat.

To reap the most benefits for your heart, you should walk vigorously enough so that you're breathing hard but can still carry on a conversation. You should also attempt to reach your “target heart rate,” which is about 50 to 70% of your maximum heart rate. (To estimate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.) To measure your heart rate while exercising, take your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply the result by six. Build up to your target heart rate gradually.

Add variety to your walks.

Mixing it up will keep them from becoming predictable and boring. For example, walk one block fast, two blocks slow, and repeat several times. Gradually add more fast intervals with shorter recovery periods. Or seek out hilly terrain or a new walking route altogether. Check out Start! Walking Paths for some inspiration at www.startwalkingnow.org/start_walking_paths.jsp.

Try Walking Tracking Tools

Keeping track of the time, speed, and duration of your walks will help you monitor your progress, realize goals, and stay motivated. The Start! website has an online tracker that allows you to record the times and distances you walk as well as your food and water intake (www.startwalkingnow.org/mystart_tracker. jsp). You can also use the tracker to design a customized weekly walking schedule based on your age and fitness level.

Another helpful tool is a pedometer, which measures the number of steps you take. A 2007 analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who used a pedometer significantly increased their walking distance over time. The researchers combined the results of 26 studies that lasted an average of 18 weeks and enrolled a total of 2,767 participants with an average age of 49. The findings showed that people who used a pedometer increased their walking by nearly 27%, adding more than 2,000 steps to their daily walking tallies.

The commonly cited goal of 10,000 steps a day is not an official recommendation (it's roughly equivalent to five miles, since the average person's stride is around 2.5 feet long). But take it one step at a time and gradually work up to that recommended number. To count steps accurately, the pedometer should hang vertically from your waist, aligned over your knee.

Realistic Walking Goals

Everyone's fitness level is different, and, initially, many older people are unable to walk for 30 minutes at least five days a week or do 10,000 steps daily. If necessary, start with as little as five to 10 minutes of walking three days a week. Every week or so, add another three to five minutes to your walk, and when you're ready increase to four days and then five.

As your fitness level improves, also try to walk faster, so that you're covering more distance in the same amount of time. But always remember that some exercise is better than none.