Page 32 - October Sun Rays

Eight reasons to
Ladies walking group: Barb Bigger, Pat Gernert, Sue King & Bitsy, Marji Sikes & Breezy, Peggy Manning, Margaret Stelle, Nancy
Blansett & Dottie, Pat Waite (Leader), Barbara Turner, Linda Mladek, Elaine Cielo, Ruby Bishop.
By Josh Peterson
Exercise fads come and go. We’ve sweated
to the oldies, jazzercised, rollerbladed, thigh-
mastered, bowflexed, crossfitted, tae-bo’ed,
ab-rolled and nordic-tracked our way to
tighter tummies and toned legs. But one
of the finest forms of exercise has been avail-
able to you since your youth. It requires very
little equipment, can be done at any time
of night and day and is absolutely free. It’s
walking, of course.
To those who run marathons, lift heavy
weights or undertake other grueling endeav-
ors of endurance, walking may not seem like
much, but walking, in terms of exercise, is
simplified elegance. It doesn’t provoke awe
in spectators or garner the accolades of com-
petitive sports, but walking does confer all
the health benefits of exercise without being
complex, stressful or overly strenuous. Here
are eight good reasons to take a walk:
1. It can be modified easily: In order to get
the health benefits from the exercise, one
needs to walk for at least 30 minutes at
a pace of three miles per hour, which
is fairly brisk. Of course, some people
won’t be able to walk that fast at first,
but that’s fine. It is a goal to strive for.
2. It is low-impact: Walking is the default
method of movement for the human spe-
cies. Unlike running, weight-lifting or
30 | SUNRAYS OCTOBER 2017
Take a Walk!
cycling, it is a natural movement and
doesn’t put much wear and tear on the
joints and ligaments.
3. Free: You can purchase accoutrements
for walking: monitors that measure your
heart rate and the steps you’ve taken,
athletic gear and arm weights for when
you want a challenge, but you don’t have
to. As long as you own clothes and shoes,
you’re pretty much all set.
4. Burns decent calories: The calories
expended walking a mile are compa-
rable to the calories used to run a mile.
(It’s approximately 90 calories per mile
walked vs. 112 calories per mile ran.*)
Of course, it can take two or three times
as long to walk that mile, so you’re not
burning even close to as many calories
per minute. You’re also not running, so
there is that.
5. No hassle: Some forms of exercise re-
quire you to travel to a special gym, a
specific fitness center or a pool. You can
get a flat tire while cycling, your barbell
clips might break or your Thigh Master
might lose its springiness. Walking can
be done at anytime and anywhere, and
as long as you’re physically well enough
to exercise, there is no excuse not to.
6. You can stop and smell the roses: While
you’re going to want to walk at a pace
that allows you to burn calories and
PHOTO BY ANNE MARSHALL
build muscle effectively, walking also
allows you the freedom to engage with
anything interesting you might come
across: an old friend, a nest full of baby
swallows, a double rainbow.
7. It’ll take you places: If you can walk to a
grocery store or pharmacy, you can com-
bine your exercise regimen with your
errand run and save on gas or cab fare.
8. Walking can, in some cases, be healthier:
There is some evidence that excessive
endurance training can hinder your im-
mune system and that lengthy bouts of
intense exercise might be bad for your
heart. Walking is not associated with
such risks. As long as you look both ways
before you cross the street, you should
be safe.
*Runner’s World/The Journal of Medical
Science Sports and Exercise
OPTIONS AT OUR
FITNESS CENTERS:
– Body Toning
F, 9:15 a.m., Cowan Creek
– Power Core & Strength
M/W, 11:15 a.m. Cowan Creek
– Cardio Fun
M/W 8 a.m., TH 9:15 a.m.
Texas Drive
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG