Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

W
walking for fitness A planned approach for
improving and maintaining overall physical fitness
and health through walking. Health and fitness
experts believe walking is the ideal exercise for
people of nearly any age, FITNESS LEVEL, and health
status. Walking is also an excellent component of
any WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT strategy.
Everyday walking is a good means for becoming
consistently more active. Walking for fitness takes
walking to the next level, integrating it into one’s
individual lifestyle as an activity in its own right.
Though walking alone will allow most people to
reach the minimum recommended level of physical
activity, walking in combination with other
physical activity such as lifting weights (RESISTANCE
EXERCISE and STRENGTH exercise) and swimming or
bicycling (moderate to vigorous AEROBIC EXERCISE)
provides a more vigorous workout.
As with any physical activity, it is important to
dress appropriately and plan a gradual progression
of pace and time. Clothing should fit comfortably
enough to allow free movement but not be baggy.
Fabrics that wick moisture minimize CHAFING.
Though 100 percent cotton is comfortable for
casual wear, it is not a good fabric for exercise
because it tends to absorb rather than wick away
moisture. Wet clothing contributes to BLISTER formation,
chafing, and chilling. There are technical
fabrics on the market, available in casual as well as
athletic styles, that pull perspiration away from
the body to keep the SKIN surface dry. Shoes
should be designed for walking and fit snugly
without pinching or gapping. Double-layer walking
socks absorb friction to help prevent blisters.
A person whose lifestyle is physically inactive
may want to start with a relaxed pace of two miles
per hour, walking for 5 to 15 minutes at a time.
Health experts recommend minimum physical
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activity sufficient to use 150 calories each day
(1,000 calories a week). Sustained periods of exercise
that raise the HEART RATE and BREATHING rate
for 20 minutes at a time or longer help develop
AEROBIC CAPACITY. BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) influences
the pace and time necessary to reach this goal. As
well, varying the walking pace and time achieves
this goal in different ways depending on a person’s
interests and circumstances (such as time constraints).
A general guideline is to increase the
intensity of exercise no greater than 10 percent
per week. Pushing to reach a higher level of intensity
increases the risk for injury.
The accompanying table shows the approximate
energy output (number of calories burned)
for different paces and times at representative
BMIs for individuals at healthy weight (BMI range
18.5 to 24.9), at overweight (BMI range 25 to
29.9), and at OBESITY (BMI 30 and above). The
higher one’s BMI, the more calories required to
perform the activity. The slower the pace, the
more time walking necessary to meet the minimum
recommended daily activity level for calories
consumed in physical exercise. A pedometer, a
computerized device that clips to a belt or the edge
of a pocket, functions as a timer and counts strides
to measure pace and distance. Many pedometer
models also calculate calories consumed and average
pace.
See also AGING, CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ABILITY AND
FITNESS NEEDS THAT OCCUR WITH; BLISTER PREVENTION;
CONDITIONING; DISABILITY AND EXERCISE; OSTEOPOROSIS;
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATIONS; SHIN SPLINTS;
WEEKEND WARRIOR.
warmup Stretches and light-intensity movements
that prepare the muscles and joints for
physical activity. Warmups increase BLOOD flow to