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Take a Walk: That's the First Step to Getting in Shape

Posted on: Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Mark Higginbotham

I'm often asked if walking is as good as running for fitness and weight management.

Sure it is! Walking is a great way to move your body.

Combine regular walking with a balanced diet, and you will feel and see results.

Let me give you an example: Consider an unfit, overweight 220- pound man who wants to get in shape and lose weight. Let's assume he is eating correctly and is ready to add some exercise.

All he needs is a good pair of walking shoes and the motivation to step out the door. He may start off walking only 20 or 30 minutes at a time, but if he keeps it up, soon he will be able to walk for an hour at an easy 20-minute-per mile pace, which will burn 330 calories. This may not seem like much, but he is being reborn!

His muscles and lungs and circulatory system are coming back to life - they have literally been "dying" to be used. His heart is getting stronger by the beat and his ability to handle daily stress is steadily improving.

As he gets more fit, he may be able to walk 15-minute miles and burn more calories per workout. Very fit walkers can easily walk 12- to 13-minute miles.

The great thing about walking is that there is so little impact (compared with running). You can walk every day if you want, whereas daily running is very stressful.

I walk on easy days and run on others with walk-breaks mixed in.

There are lots of ways to set your body in motion. You can walk, power-walk, race-walk, run-walk or run.

Life is best lived when your body is in motion.

Learn how to master every possible way of moving your body efficiently against gravity. Then get outdoors and just keep going.

Mark Higginbotham, a certified running coach and fitness counselor, is the founder of Memphis In Motion. He teaches monthly classes on nutrition and leads adult walking, running and marathon- training programs locally. He is conducting a free walk/run form clinic on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. starting on the east side of the Shelby Farms Visitors Center.

Do you have a running, walking or fitness question? Call: 372- 6123; E-mail: mhiggin2@midsouth.rr.com, or go to www.memphisinmotion.com

Source: Commercial Appeal, The

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