Walking for Heart Health Benefits
Do you understand the importance of being regularly active to promote heart health? However, you know this and still remain sedentary? Is this because the thought of exercise makes you think of a gym membership, spandex, and everyone watching you try to use equipment you have no idea how to work? Well, here’s an alternative.
Simply taking a daily walk has many benefits without the risk of embarrassment.
Benefits of Walking Daily
- Decreases risk of heart disease or stroke.
- Lowers LDL cholesterol
- Increases HDL cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Increases daily calories burned (weight management)
- Decreases risk of colon cancer and diabetes (may protect against breast cancer)
- Decreases joint swelling and pain from arthritis
- Improves mood
- Improves stress management
- More energy
- Improves self-esteem
- Improves sleep quality
How Long of a Walk
Heart Health – How hard do you need to workout?
To achieve health benefits, it is recommended that we include 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 5 days each week. Well, what exactly is considered moderate intensity?
San Diego State University recently studied the effect of different exercise intensity levels to determine how fast someone needs to walk to be exercising at a moderate intensity level. Researchers monitored cardiac exertion of walking at different rates in 97 healthy adults on a treadmill. It was determined that a moderate intensity level is equal to 3 METs, which is a measurement of the bodies oxygen needs. This converted to 92-102 steps per minute for men and 91-115 steps per minute for women.
By grabbing a pedometer and watch on your next walk, you can check to see if you are hitting the goal of ~100 steps per minute to reap the health benefits. And if not, you’ll know you need to increase your speed!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
Use local events for fun and health!
On Saturday, May 31st, a girlfriend and myself participated in a 10K run in Livingston, MT. Fortunately, the rain forecast held off until afternoon and it was a great morning to be outside. This is the second organized event I have recently participated in and I can’t say enough about the experience. I use to be hesitant to sign-up for these events thinking there is no way I can keep up with everyone else. Well, let me tell you, there are a wide variety of athletes participating. Some sprint to the finish, others walk. There is room for everyone! We jogged pushing a stroller. Nothing like a crying baby to get you moving a little faster.
I encourage you to find out what events are in your area and sign up. Gives you a break from your normal workout routine!
Enjoy the upcoming weekend, Lisa
P.S. Don’t forget to go to http://www.lisanelsonrd.com and sign-up for The Heart of Health. I have put together a great bonus for new subscribers: Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health!
