Step into spring!
In the current economic climate many of us are watching what we spend, often the first things to go are leisure activities such as gym membership. But you don’t need any fancy fitness wear or expensive gym membership to 
get fit and stay healthy. As Coventry City Council’s new ‘You don’t have to’ campaign is keen to point out, you don’t have to go to the gym to keep fit. Walking is an excellent form of exercise that can be done almost anywhere, at any time and in any weather and it is a very safe activity. Everyone can benefit from walking, whatever your age, size or shape. (If you are overweight or have any other concerns about your health, do speak to your GP before embarking on any form of exercise). The only thing you need to make sure of is that your feet are in good shape. If your feet hurt, then you will not be motivated to walk and if you have a niggling problem then all the extra walking will exacerbate it, so get it seen to before you embark on a walking programme.
Whilst many people advocate 10,000 steps a day (that’s about five miles!) as the way to health and fitness most health professionals believe that 30 minutes of brisk walking, five times a week, is a more realistic aim. All your steps count, because any sort of walking is better than sitting still watching the TV, but not all your steps are equal. Brisk walking is what you need to do. This is the sort of walking we do when we’re late for something. As most people walk every day, you don’t need to worry too much about warming up before you start, but it is a good idea to start walking at a normal pace for a few minutes before stepping it up to brisk. If you haven’t done any exercise for a while, start slowly and build up to 30 minutes.
Some of the benefits of 30 minutes of brisk walking:
Increases the body’s demand for oxygen, making your heart, lungs and muscles work more efficiently;
Helps to lower blood pressure and prevent high blood pressure;
Helps to prevent the onset of, and control, type 2 diabetes;
Can improve your body shape and posture;
Can help to reduce body weight when combined with an appropriate eating plan.
How to get the most out of your steps this spring:
Put your best foot forward: start with a foot health check and make sure your feet are up to the job!
Take care of your feet, because they are the key to your success. Why not treat them to a relaxing and rejuvenating foot massage.
When you’re walking make sure you walk through the whole foot. With each step make sure that your heel strikes the ground, walk through the whole foot and then push off from the toes. Each stride will help to lengthen the leg muscles and avoid bulking up the calf muscles, giving you a leaner more elegant look.
Relax your shoulders and neck as you walk. Many people carry a lot of tension in this area. Try to release the tension by lowering your shoulders and imaging your head floating towards the sky.
Try to increase the number of steps you do each day. Walk some of the way to work, jump off the bus at the stop before the one you normally use. Take a walk at lunch time. Even if you only have a 30 minute break you could walk for 15 minutes and still have time to eat your healthy meal!
For more information about walking for fitness please call Helen Newell on 024 76691100 or e-mail us by using the Earlsdon Practice contact form.