Why Walking is Wonderful

Walking is the ultimate easy-to-do, good-for-you exercise. You don’t need special gear, you can go with friends or solo, stay indoors or venture outdoors, and, best of all for those with tender knees, you can do it at your own pace. Start slowly – try for three 10-minute outings a day at first – and add speed, hills and longer distances as your endurance and strength builds.

If you haven’t already begun a walking program, here are 10 good reasons why you should.

1. Walking improves circulation. It wards off heart disease, brings up heart rate, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart. One study showed that postmenopausal women who walked just 1 to 2 miles a day lowered blood pressure by nearly 11 points in 24 weeks. Women who walked 30 minutes a day reduced their risk of stroke by 20 percent – and 40 percent when they stepped up the pace.
2. Walking lowers the risk of fractures. Any exercise that places your body’s weight on your legs helps build stronger bones. In one study, women who walked 30 minutes a day reduced their risk of hip fractures by 40 percent.
3. Walking supports joints. It tones muscles that, in turn, support the joints. Strong leg, abdominal and lower back muscles take the burden off knees and lower-body joints.
4. Walking improves sleep. In a study of women age 50 to 75, those who took one-hour morning walks were more likely to relieve insomnia than women who didn’t walk.
5. Walking slows mental decline. One study of 6,000 women, age 65 and older, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more.
6. Walking lowers Alzheimer’s risk. One study showed that men between the ages of 71 and 93 who walked more than a quarter of a mile a day had half the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease compared with those who walked less.
7. Walking lightens mood. Research shows that walking 30 minutes a day may boost mood faster than antidepressants do. Why? Walking releases natural pain-killing endorphins into the body.
8. Walking burns calories. When you burn more calories than you consume, you’ll lose weight, which has benefits of its own, including less stress on painful joints.
9. Walking brings you closer. Walking is a good way to spend time with friends or family members and enjoy nature.
10. Walking is economical. A good pair of shoes is all you really need – no expensive lessons, gear or gym memberships. Just get moving!

Adapted from Arthritis Today

A great article about Livin’ Large, which just happens to be the name of my new group coaching program!

Midway through her first yoga class, Kay Erdwinn wanted desperately to disappear.

Erdwinn had come to the class, not far from her Southern California neighborhood, in search of a noncompetitive, inwardly focused way to exercise. Instead, she found a teacher who demanded that she upend her five-foot-two-inch, 260-pound body into Halasana (Plow Pose).

Read the rest of this entry »

Who doesn’t love jumping on a trampoline? Well, that’s exactly what rebounding is!

According to Nasa, rebounding “is the most efficient and effective form of exercise yet devised by man”. And it’s great if you’re super busy. According to rebounder manufacturers, 10 minutes of rebounding produces the same results as 30 minutes of jogging!

You can bounce, jump, run on the spot, dance, do jumping jacks, wave your arms around, what ever you like really! You’ll be improving your lymphatic flow, bone density, coordination, joint flexibility, muscle tone, vascular strength, and much more. Rebounding has an impact on every single cell, muscle and organ all at the same time. You’ll see real noticeable changes in your body. Like any exercise, just be sure to listen to your body and give it the intensity it is happy with.

Yes, you’ve heard it all before, but it bears repeating. According to studies conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, there’s no way around this bottom line: a sedentary lifestyle increases your chance of becoming overweight and letting disease get its foot in your door.

Regular physical activity helps the body function better and wards off many a lurking disease. According to a report by US Surgeon General, regular physical activity:

• Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier
• Protects against heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
• Helps protects against certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer
• Helps prevent or control adult-onset (type 2) diabetes
• Helps prevent arthritis and may help relieve pain and stiffness in people who already have it
• Helps prevent osteoporosis
• Reduces the risk of falling among older adults
• Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and genreally improves your mood

If you already exercise on a daily basis – that’s great! If not, how about trying a short walk every day? Start off easy with a short 10 minute walk. From there, gradually increase your walking to 30 minutes a day. The change is going to do you good! Better mood, more energy — you, only better!