What Exercise Can Do

There is strong evidence that regular exercise can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and sudden death from heart attack. It can also help fight obesity.

Exercise helps with weight loss by raising the metabolic rate, not only during exercise but for hours afterward. In addition, exercise may help prevent osteoporosis and fractures by increasing the calcium content of bones. Actually, not all exercises do this, only those, like running or walking, that work against gravity.

Walking could be the best way for couch potatoes to become active. Of all your fitness options, walking is the easiest, safest, and cheapest (you need no equipment except for comfortable shoes). It’s also gentle on your ankles, knees and back.

Starting a Walking Workout

• Beginners can benefit from as little as three walking sessions each week. Once you have gotten used to the exercise, you may want to burn more calories by walking 40 to 60 minutes five times each week.
• An easy way to add variety is to walk on both hills and flat terrain.
• When walking on flat surfaces, keep your posture upright and relaxed. Your shoulders should be aligned over your hips.
• When walking uphill, try leaning forward slightly—it’s easier on your leg muscles.
• Walking downhill, contrary to what you might think, is harder on your body. It places extra stress on your knees, so it’s a good idea to slow your pace and take shorter steps.
• Briskly walking one mile at 3.5 to 4 miles per hour burns nearly as many calories as running the same distance at a moderate pace.
• Walking uphill burns more calories than walking on a flat surface. The steeper the hill, the more calories you walk off.
• You can also burn extra calories by walking on grass or a gravel trail.
• Walking along the beach is great exercise, keeping your normal pace on sand will burn more calories because of the extra resistance.

Don’t Forget the Arms

• By swinging your arms, you’ll burn 5 to 10 percent more calories, and you’ll get an upper body workout as well.
• Move your arms in the opposite direction as your legs—swing your right arm forward as you step forward with your left leg, then reverse. This arm motion helps counterbalance the motion of your legs.
• As you increase the pace, switch to pumping your arms; bend your elbows at 90 degree angles and pump from the shoulder. Keep your wrists straight and—to reduce fatigue—keep your hands unclenched. Swing your arms in a small arc across your chest; your elbow should come to about the middle of your chest and as far back as your buttock.

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