Walking The Activity of a Lifetime - Manitoba in motion

WALKINGThe Activityof a Lifetime

There are almost as many reasons to walk as there are peoplewho walk. People walk for pleasure, to stay in shape or managetheir weight. Families explore the outdoors by walking together.Some people use walking as therapy for injured muscles ortroubled feelings. People walk to explore, take a break, findadventure or get from here to there. Some Manitobans, includingmany who are 65 years of age and over, walk for companionshipand improved well-being. Others walk toraise awareness and money for charitiesand good causes. There are hundreds ofthese kinds of events inCanada each year. The moreyou walk, the more reasonsyou’ll find to make walking partof your daily routine.STEPit UpIt’s easy to take the first step and toincrease the number of steps you takeeach day.• Walk partway or all the way homefrom work or school.• Walk to the store or to do errands.• Walk the stairs, instead of using anelevator or escalator.• Walk a block at break time orlunchtime.• Walk a dog (borrow yourneighbour’s if you don’t have one).• At work, use the photocopier onanother floor.

BENEFITSofWalkingAny birdwatcher or snowshoe enthusiast knows the inherentpleasures of walking. Walking is more than an enjoyable mode oftransportation. It can also improve your fitness, health andmental well-being.• Walking refreshes the mind,reduces fatigue and increasesenergy.• More than half the body’s musclesare designed for walking; it is anatural movement that is virtuallyinjury-free.• Walking provides an enjoyable timefor sharing and socializing withfriends or family.• Regular, brisk walking can reduceelevated blood fats or bloodpressure and improve digestionand elimination.• Walking strengthens bones andhelps prevent or controlosteoporosis (a condition wherebones become brittle and fragile).• Walking relieves stress andtension.• Regular walking will help youmaintain a healthy weight and apositive body image, especiallywhen combined with healthyeating.• Brisk walking trains your heart,lungs and muscles to work moreefficiently.

STEPPINGA LITTLE WALKING EVERY DAYis far better than an occasionalweekend bout of frenziedactivity. Canadian PhysicalActivity Guidelines say:• To achieve health benefits,adults should accumulate atleast 150 minutes ofmoderate- to vigorousintensityaerobic physical activity perweek, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.• It is also beneficial to add muscle andbone strengthening activities usingmajor muscle groups, at least 2 daysper week.• More physical activity providesgreater health benefits.• Visit www.manitobainmotion.ca tolearn more.In planning your walkingprogram consider thefollowing tips:Outalert. At night, walkwith a friend, andwear reflective tapeon your clothing. Carry identification anda cell phone (or change for a phone call).ON SUMMER EVENINGS OR IN THEWOODS, protect yourself from insectbites by wearing long sleeves andmosquito repellant.WHEN IT IS HOT, choose ashaded route and walk alittle slower than usual. Drinksome cool water before youleave and bring water with you,especially if there is no water fountainen route. Avoid the hot noonday sun.Wear a hat and sunscreen.EXPLORE A VARIETY OFROUTES and choose onesthat are interesting, safe andconvenient. Avoid heavytraffic, loose dogs and roughterrain.WALKING WITH OTHERScan be more motivating than walkingalone. Why not join a walking club(phone your local Y, municipalrecreation department, or public healthunit to find a group) or ask a neighbouror family member to join you.WALK SAFELY. Don’t wearheadphones in heavytraffic or in areas whereyou need to be constantlyWHEN IT IS COLD, avoid icysurfaces and walk in placeswhere you are shielded fromthe wind. Many Manitobansprefer to “mall” walk at alocal shopping centre in coldweather. Look for signs aboutwalking clubs at your local mall.DRESS in loose, comfortable clothingmade of synthetic fabrics. In coldweather, be aware of the wind-chillfactor. Dress in layers so you can peeloff or put on according to howwarm you feel. Wear mittensand a toque to cover yourhead and ears.

GETTINGStartedWarm up and cooldown with 5 minutesof medium-paced walking, followed by some stretches for yourlegs. This will prevent stiffness and increase flexibility.CALF MUSCLES STRETCH: Standfacing a wall. Position yourforward foot approximately30 – 38 cm from the wall.Stretch your arms forward,elbows straight and leanagainst the wall. Place yourother foot a few inches behind (and tothe side of) the front foot and slowly plantit flat on the floor. Lean forward until youfeel a stretch in your back leg. Hold for 15– 30 seconds. Relax and repeat 2 timeswith alternate legs.HAMSTRING MUSCLES STRETCH:Sitting on the floor, put one leg straightout and the other leg bent at the knee.Keeping your back straight, leanforward, sliding your handsdown the straight leg until youfeel a stretch. Hold for 15 – 30seconds. Relax and repeat2 more times withalternate legsTHIGH STRETCH SITTING: Siton the edge of a chair. Loweryour knee toward the floorand press it back under thechair. Hold the stretch for15 – 20 seconds. Repeateach leg 2 times.ALTERNATE THIGH MUSCLES STRETCH:Stand close to a wall and place onehand on it. With the other hand reachback and hold the same side foot inthat hand. When balanced, begin toslowly raise the foot up towards thelower back. Hold for 15 – 30seconds. Relax and repeat 2 moretimes with alternate legs.ACHILLES STRETCH: Sitting on achair, plant one heel on thefloor and gently lift your toes upand back as far as you can. Holdfor a count of 5, then relax.Repeat each foot several times.WALKING SHOESWhen you walk, your feet hit the ground more than 650 timeseach kilometre, so comfortable socks and well-designedwalking or jogging shoes are a must. Shop for walking shoes atthe end of the day, when you feet are larger. Try on both shoesand walk around in the store before buying them.Finger’swidth toeroomFlexible instepVentilatingmaterialFirm anklesupportElevated heel

COUNT YOUR STEPStoBetter HealthHow many steps do you take in a day? Most people would havedifficulty answering this question. The average sedentary NorthAmerican accumulates about 3,500 – 5,000 steps during the courseof their day. Dr. Catrine Tudor-Locke, a researcher at Arizona StateUniversity East suggests that, in general, to improve your health, aperson should add 2,000 – 3,000 more steps to their day. Here is auseful guide developed by Dr. Tudor-Locke:If your total number of steps per day is:• Under 5,000 you would be categorized as having a sedentarylifestyle.• Between 5,000 – 7,499 you would be categorized "low active."• Between 7,500 – 9,999 would indicate you are getting someexercise or walking and would be categorized "somewhat active."• 10,000 or more steps indicates that you would be categorizedan "active" individual.• More than 12,500 steps/day would classify you as being "highlyactive".You can accumulate steps throughout the day. It only takes about 5minutes to get in 500 steps. Combining this with continuouswalking (see the sample program in this booklet) will improve yourhealth and fitness, and help you maintain a healthy weight.IT’S AS EASY AS ONE, TWO THREEIf you would like to try step counting, follow these guidelines:1CHOOSE YOUR PEDOMETER ANDTEST IT OUTA pedometer is a small batterypowereddevice that displays on ascreen the number of steps you take.They are sold in many sporting goods

and department stores. They can alsobe ordered online. Good quality basicmodels cost from $25 to $40. High-endversions also estimate calories burnedand distance walked.Clip your pedometer onto yourwaistband or belt. It should be snug onyour hip and lined up above your knee.Set the counter to zero and walk 20steps. Check to see that it accuratelyrecords the number of steps.2SET YOUR DAILY STEP GOALRecommended daily step goals dependon your age and current level ofphysical activity. They also depend onhow active you want to be. You can usethe chart below tohelp you decide3on a personal goal, but the best way toget there is to gradually increase thenumber of steps you take each day.• Find your baseline. Clip on yourpedometer and set it to zero. Goabout your daily routine and recordthe number of steps you have takenat the end of the day. Do this forseven days. At the end of the week,calculate your daily average bydividing the total number of steps forthe entire week by seven.This is your baseline.• Increase your number of dailysteps by 500 steps each week.For example, if your daily baselineis 3,000 steps in week one, yourgoal for week two would be 3,500steps. For week three it would be4,000 steps etc.• Once you reach your goal, rewardyourself and brag to all your friendsand family members! Then make acommitment to keep it up.KEEP A WEEKLY WALKING LOGCopy the Weekly Step Log in this booklet. Use it to recordyour baseline and your progress over the weeks ahead.DAILY STEP GOALSHighly active (children, youth and fit adults) 10,000 – 16,000Active (adults) 10,000Somewhat active (older adults) 7,000 – 9,999Low active (adults with a chronic health condition*) 4,000 – 7,000*Check with your doctor before starting this program if you have a chronichealth condition such as arthritis, diabetes or heart disease.If you don't have a pedometer, make a commitmentto walk a minimum of 30 minutes every day.

READY, SET,Walk!You can design your own walking program by graduallyincreasing the frequency, time and distance you walk, or youcan use the sample program given here.• If you decide to try the enclosedsample walking program, begin bychoosing the level that bestmatches your current experiencewith physical activity.• Walk briskly at a pace you canmaintain comfortably for theduration of your walk. Slow down ifyou are unable to talk and stop ifyou experience dizziness, pain orshortness of breath.• Create your own stride style – yourbody will automatically pick themost effective stride for any givenspeed. Breathe normally and letyour arms swing naturally.• If weight loss is your goal, aim toprogress to 60 minutes ofcontinuous walking at a moderatepace five to seven times each week.Distance and regularity are the keysto burningcalorieseffectively.THE WALKING SCHOOL BUSA Walking School Bus is an active transportationsystem that involves volunteer parents andcaregivers taking turns walking with children to andfrom school. Everybody wins with this arrangement.Adults and children enjoy a healthy, safe walk in theirneighbourhood and there is less traffic congestion aroundthe school. For more information contact Active & SafeRoutes to School, Green Action Centre at 204.925.3773 orwww.greenactioncentre.ca.

SAMPLE WALKING PROGRAMThe following program can be used with or without a pedometer.LeveL 1This program is for people who are currently inactive:Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Minutes walking 15 18 20 25 30 32 35 40 42 45Walks per week 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 6-7KmStart at Week 1 with about 1 kilometre and work up toabout 4 km by Week 10.Steps per day using a pedometer Establish your baseline. Increase your number of steps by500 each week until you reach your step goal(see Daily Step Goals chart)LeveL 2This program is for people who are physically active on a regular basis:Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Minutes walking 30 32 35 40 42 45 45 50 55 60Walks per week 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 6-7 6-7KmStart at Week 1 with about 2 km and work up to about8 km by Week 10.Steps per day using a pedometer Establish your baseline. Increase your number of steps by500 each week until you reach your step goal(see Daily Step Goals chart)

WEEKLY WALKING LOGWeek 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Daily Step/Time GoalSundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayDaily Average(weekly totaldivided by seven)Your Walking Workout - Join the in motion walking club for a personalizedwalking program and receive motivational tips and encouragement.Visit www.manitobainmotion.ca for more information.

INCREASINGHere are four ways to further increase the intensity of yourwalking program.1SPEED WALKING:Breathe normally and pumpyour arms vigorously as youspeed up your pace.Practice over shortdistances until you canwalk comfortably at avigorous pace ofseven to nine km per hour.2theIntensityCLIMB WALKING:Climbing hills or stairs is themost vigorous form of walking.Climbing puts extra strain on the stomach,buttocks, lower back and leg muscles, soadd some exercises for these musclesand additional stretches to your warm-up.Increase your climbing gradually.OF YOUR WALK3WATER WALKING:Walking in the waterincreases the difficultybecause you moveagainst theresistance of the water.Water walking is easy on the joints andrefreshingly cool in hot weather.4HOLIDAY WALKING:Enjoy a walking holidayon the Trans-CanadaTrail or explore adifferent countryon a holidaywalking tour.THESE FEET WERE MADE FOR WALKINGWith its natural pleasures, its range of benefits and its varietyof opportunities, walking occupies a special place in the world of active living. Some69% of Canadians rank walking at the top of the list of most popular activities. Nowit’s your turn to put your best foot forward. Enjoy!

In motion is a provincial strategy to help all Manitobans makephysical activity part of their daily lives for health and enjoyment.Call (204) 945-3648Toll free 1 866-788-3648www.manitobainmotion.caThe Province of Manitoba gratefully acknowledges theProvince of Ontario for permission to reproduce this publication.