The Power of Walking

 

Provided by American Council on Exercise

 

What if you had a treasure map that led to the mother lode, but no one cared to look at it? Similarly, what if you knew the key to preventing the number-one killer in the U.S. and no one was listening? And what if that key was as free and simple as going for a walk? How great would that be?

Well, according to a significant amount of research, the key to preventing heart disease is, in fact, simply going for a walk.

How does going for a walk benefit your health? It addresses a lot of risk factors, including:

Combined, these reduced risk factors also lower one’s risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease and dying from all causes. You’d think that would be enough to convince everyone to put on walking shoes and get moving, but that hasn’t been the case.

As a health and fitness professional, you likely need to help your clients find the motivation to get moving, as well as be creative in making exercise more enjoyable. To that end, here are a few suggestions for helping your clients enjoy the benefits of walking on a more regular basis:

1.   Listen to music. It will help you walk longer and faster.

2.   Listen to an audiobook. 

3.   Set a reward for meeting a goal. This could be a night out with friends or a new outfit.

4.   Listen to a podcast. 

5.   Keep a journal, which will help keep your clients accountable. It’s fun to go back and look at all the miles logged walking with friends or the family dog. Penzu is a great way to keep a journal for free online.

6.   Walk audits are a great way to help your city and keep it accountable.

7.   Learn how to use walking as a time to meditate. The benefits of meditating regularly are significant and walking meditation offers added health benefits as well, especially if the walk is through nature.

8.   Exercise with friends—after all, who ever regretted going on a walk with a friend? This is a great time to reconnect and catch up on each other’s lives.

Why not suggest your clients try Walk with a Doc? We are a growing collection (currently 363 chapters in 45 states) of community members passionate about getting the most out of life—every last drop. We meet to hear the doctor, dietician or community leader talk for a couple minutes, maybe ask a question, drink some coffee, and then we go at our own moderate pace and our own distance, usually someplace out in nature.

With Valentine’s Day this month, remind your clients that there is no better gift for their loved ones than ensuring their own health. And walking is just about the easiest way to do it.

Post AuthorAUTHOR

David Sabgir

Contributor

David Sabgir, M.D., is a board certified cardiologist, who is proud to practice with Mount Carmel Clinical Cardiovascular Specialists at Mount Carmel St. Ann's in Westerville. Dr. Sabgir is the founder and leader of Walk with a Doc—a free, unique, physician-led program that incorporates seven major components of good health. Quite simply, Walk with a Doc puts doctors in parks across the country and around the world with the goal of disrupting the current medical system as we know it. Walk with a Doc began in 2005 at a park in Westerville and has expanded to more than 363 sites around the US and in fourteen countries. Also, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is using Walk with a Doc as the example for preventative health when he is addressing audiences. The program has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, AARP and Medical Economics, among others. Dr. Sabgir attended the University of Miami for undergrad and Medical College of Ohio for medical school. He served his internship, residency and fellowship at The Ohio State University Medical Center. He practices cardiology full-time for Mount Carmel Health System and serves as their medical director for cardiac rehabilitation. He lives in New Albany, Ohio with his beautiful wife and two children who frequently join him on the walks.