Simple, So Beneficial Walking

 

Let's Take a Walk

by Frank O Hara (1926–1966)

Let's take a walk, you
and I in spite of the
weather if it rains hard
on our toes

we'll stroll like poodles
and be washed down a
gigantic scenic gutter
that will be

exciting! voyages are not
all like this you just put
your toes together then
maybe blood

will get meaning and a trick
become slight in our keeping
before we sail the open sea it's
possible--

And the landscape will do
us some strange favour when
we look back at each other
anxiously

Frank O'Hara believed that poetry should be a spur of the moment, personal spontaneity where abstract was ruled out in favor of the artist's personal style or voice.

What could be more spontaneous than deciding to take a walk? O'Hara's poem calls on the reader to take a walk and possibly receive an “exciting favor.”

Walking can do that. It bestows benefits that few other exercises can. Today, I'll write about that simple walk … something that could enter your sedentary lifestyle and produce benefits that extend your happiness and your life.

“Now shall I walk or shall I ride?
'Ride,' Pleasure said;
'Walk,' Joy replied.”

– W.H. Davies

Are you like me? Have you found that walking is a great exercise with many benefits … some of which you may not even know about? Walking is rightly lauded as a form of cardio exercise and its benefits for your heart health and mindset are widely understood.

Although not as high intensity as running, walking is effective in its own right, and no matter how fit you are, it is extremely beneficial. Walking is particularly good for people who suffer from knee, ankle, or back problems, as it can reduce pain and improve circulation and posture.

Other benefits you can get from walking? According to Dr. Sarah Davies from the National Institute of Health's Functional Medicine Clinic, walking can help you “improve your breathing, lower your heart rate, feel happier, become more connected to your environment, and experience less pain if you struggle with pain-related health issues.”

You may be skeptical, but Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS, a sports Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Phoenix, Arizona who works with elite athletes, says, “Walking can be as good as a workout, if not better, than running.”

Consider that most of us are prone to pack on extra pounds as we traverse through a modern lifestyle. It is believed walking counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.

(American Heart Association. "Walking may lessen the influence of genes on obesity by half." The National Institutes of Health. Science Daily. March 14, 2012.)

And research claims it’s not just about fitness: new research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that brisk walking five times a week helps combat brain aging and memory loss by encouraging blood flow.

(Tsubasa Tomoto, Jie Liu, et al. “One-Year Aerobic Exercise Reduced Carotid Arterial Stiffness and Increased Cerebral Blood Flow in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.” J Alzheimers Dis. 2021.)

Walking is the most popular aerobic physical activity. The beauty of walking is that it’s free, it doesn’t require a lot of special equipment, and it can be done almost anywhere. Most people can maintain a walking practice throughout their lifetime. Is it any wonder 60% of people say they will continue to use walking as one of their main ways of keeping fit according to research by activewear comparison site “Run Repeat”? 

Walking: How Much?

Good question, but possibly one with best answers that “depend” – isn't that true of almost everything? Take heart, old friends, by now we know being more educated can pay off. And, in this case, there can be so many pay-offs.

According to the National Health Service, adults should be doing “at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week.” Walking counts towards this weekly exercise goal, and can help you build stamina and improve cardiovascular health – but experts say you have to make sure you’re going at a “brisk” pace. (I'm not a math major, but old school division says that amounts to at least 30 minutes a day at 5 times a week.)

During the exercise, Dr. Davies says that “you should feel your heart racing a bit, your breathing should be more labored, and you should break out into somewhat of a sweat.”

And, indeed, Kerry Dixon, personal trainer and founder of The Athlete Method (2020) recommends “a daily walk of at least 30 minutes.” However, Tashi Skervin, a runner, trainer, and founder of fitness bootcamp TSC Method (thermally stimulated current) says that everyone is different. “Someone with quite a sedentary lifestyle will require more movement, whereas someone whose job involves them moving all day won’t need as much to ensure they reach the minimum amount required,” she says.

Settle down, my fellow geezer friends. If that schedule sounds too strenuous or too time consuming, you must understand that working up to your own ideal walking exercise is the key. Of course, some walking is better than no walking, and building up slowly is the way to go. Rome wasn't built in a day, and that old Colosseum we call our body has been around a long time. Rest assured you will be able to increase a regimen that begins very modestly.

Despite the recommendations of pedometers everywhere these days, some research claims there's nothing scientific to the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day, for health or for weight loss. That view says that the “magic number” is an arbitrary one that originated as an advertising campaign decades ago – invented in the 1960s by the Japanese company Yamasa Tokei, the producer of the first commercial pedometer. While walking is great for your health, research suggests 7,000 to 8,000 steps might be a better goal.

A 2019 study on older women found that those who walked 4,400 steps a day had lower mortality rates over four years of follow-up than those who walked the least (about 2,700 steps a day or fewer).

But the reduction in risk appeared to max out at about 7,500 steps a day, and researchers found no additional benefits to walking 10,000 or more daily steps.

Similarly, a 2020 study found that taking 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day was linked to lower risk of dying of any cause during the study, compared with 4,000 steps a day.

(I-Min Lee, MBBS, ScD; Eric J. Shiroma, ScD; et al. “Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women.” JAMA Intern Med. 179. 2019.)

Together, these studies suggest that moving more can benefit your health, whether or not you hit the magic number. Scientists are discovering that if you keep moving, you can enjoy health benefits throughout your life, especially later on. So, just move it for best results.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, people over 60 who stayed active in their everyday lives – even without participating in a formal exercise program – had a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This syndrome can lead to diabetes, heart disease or heart attack, and even death.

The study participants' waistlines were trimmer and their cholesterol was lower. The men in particular also had lower levels of insulin and blood sugar

(J.M Nagata, E. Vittinghoff, K. Pettee Gabriel et al. “Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity from young adulthood to middle age and metabolic disease: a 30-year population-based cohort study.” British Journal of Sports Medicine. 14 September 2021.)

Mayo Clinic also recommends aiming to break up the time you spend sitting each day with activity, even if you are getting the recommended amount of exercise each day. Too much sitting is associated with a higher risk of metabolic problems and can impact your health.

Further, a recent study found that people who sat for more than 13.5 hours a day failed to reap some of the health benefits from one hour of exercise, since their overall activity level was so low compared to the time they spent sitting. Can you say, “Move it or lose it”?

(John D Akins, Charles K Crawford, et al. “Inactivity induces resistance to the metabolic benefits following acute exercise.” J Appl Physiol. 1985) 

 

Are you walking to lose weight also? There's some evidence that people who walk 10,000 steps a day are more likely to lose weight than those who walk just 3,500 steps daily. It seems to make intuitive sense that adding a few extra miles to your routine would help, thanks to the extra calories you're burning.

(Seth A. Creasy, Wei Lang, et al. “Pattern of Daily Steps is Associated with Weight Loss: Secondary Analysis from the Step-Up Randomized Trial.” Obesity (Silver Spring). June, 2018.)

Need some guidelines? Thom Rieck of Mayo Clinic reports that the average American walks 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day, or roughly 1.5 to 2 miles. Now, that “average American” tag is scary because we older people probably need to step up our game to reach the 4,000 mark.

If you have a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other smart watch, you know that these devices can track your steps and much more. It's a good idea to find out how many steps a day you walk now, as your own baseline. Then you can work up toward the goal of 10,000 steps by aiming to add 1,000 extra steps a day every two weeks.

Since steps can't account for your level of intensity, Gordan recommends also using a heart rate monitor to help you gauge exercise intensity says professor Paul Gordon, an exercise physiologist and chair of Baylor University's Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation. Gordon advises: "I would encourage engaging in weekly activities that will increase heart rate for a continuous period of time."

I think that about covers the walking dilemma in my old mind. I encourage you to do your own research and experiment to find a regimen that suits your specific needs. The blog entry here is strictly for information, so get professional advice before you begin your exercise in earnest.

Before I forget, here is a little more encouragement to walk. There's even news that walking will help you sleep.

A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine tracked 380,055 people with an average age of 56 over the course of 11 years to study the relationship between physical activity and lack of sleep. Participants then had their activity levels designated as high, medium, low, or none, while their sleep patterns were categorized as healthy, intermediate, or poor.

Follow up with participants found that those who got in at least 600 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET) of physical activity a week – which is equivalent to 2.5 hours of brisk walking or 75 minutes of strenuous running – "eliminated most of the deleterious associations of poor sleep" and early death. Conversely, those who didn't get in their exercise and slept poorly were 57 percent more likely to die an early death than those who managed to stay active.

(Bo-Huei Huang, Mitch J Duncan, et. al. “Sleep and physical activity in relation to all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality risk.” British Journal of Sports Medicine. June 29, 2021.) 

 

I'll leave you with a couple simple reminders.

Dr. Kerry Davies recommends “finding your baseline duration each session.” Your baseline is basically “whatever you can manage without causing problems,” such as losing your form or injuring yourself. She suggests aiming to build from your baseline by at most 8-10% each week, to ensure you keep your “heart, lungs, muscles and other body systems” challenged.

It can also help to vary the intensity of the exercise. Tashi Skervin says that “some of your walks could be long and slow, and others can be short and brisk, and this will help to work different energy systems and improve your cardiovascular health.”

(Aiden Wynn. “Benefits of walking: is walking every day really enough exercise?” Stylist.)

Alternating your route between mixed terrain, flat terrain and hill walking – as well as your speed – is the optimum way to help you work all muscles during your walks.

Hiking on uneven terrain increases the amount of energy your body uses by 28% compared to walking on flat ground according to studies.

While variable terrain works your body into shape, the sights, sounds and smells of nature may be performing a similar kind of alchemy in your brain. A 2015 study from Stanford University found that time spent in natural environments (as opposed to busy city settings) calmed activity in a part of the brain that research has linked to mental illness. Hanging out with Mother Nature also seems to reduce your mind’s propensity to “ruminate” – a word psychologists use for negative, self-focused patterns of thought that are linked with anxiety and depression.

(Gregory N. Bratman, J. Paul Hamilton, Kevin S. Hahn, Gretchen C. Daily, and James J. Gross. “Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation.” PNAS. July 14, 2015.)

Walking on a treadmill? Use the incline to increase your heart rate, without the need of changing your walking speed. This means improved fitness and more use of your muscles. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, increasing your muscle will speed up weight loss. Walking on an incline also burns more calories compared to walking without an incline. In fact, at a pace of 3 mph, with a 5.0 incline, you will burn 64 percent more calories than you would without the incline. Lose 20 pounds on a treadmill walking uphill by sticking to a regular treadmill program.

(Julie Williams. “How to Lose 20 Pounds on a Treadmill Walking Uphill.” Live Healthy. July 20, 2017.)

Speed? The following information from “What Is the Average Walking Speed of an Adult?” from Healthline addresses speed. You can find the entire article by clicking here: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/average-walking-speed.

In general, walking speed significantly decreases as your age increases. According to research from 2011, walking speed decreases slightly each year as you age. This averages out to a difference of 1.2 minutes slower for every kilometer (.62 mile) at age 60 than at age 20.

Here’s a table that shows average walking speeds as we age:  

 

Age	Meters/second	Miles/hour
20 to 29	1.34 to 1.36	3.0 to 3.04
30 to 39	1.34 to 1.43	3.0 to 3.2
40 to 49	1.39 to 1.43	3.11 to 3.2
50 to 59	1.31 to 1.43	2.93 to 3.2
60 to 69	1.24 to 1.34	2.77 to 3.0
70 to 79	1.13 to 1.26	2.53 to 2.82
80 to 89	.94 to .97	2.10 to 2.17

This table shows the difference in walking speed by sex and age: 

Age	Sex	Meters/second	Miles/hour
20 to 29	Male	1.36	3.04
	Female	1.34	3.0
30 to 39	Male	1.43	3.2
	Female	1.34	3.0
40 to 49	Male	1.43	3.2
	Female	1.39	3.11
50 to 59	Male	1.43	3.2
	Female	1.31	2.93
60 to 69	Male	1.34	3.0
	Female	1.24	2.77
70 to 79	Male	1.26	2.82
	Female	1.13	2.53
80 to 89	Male	0.97	2.17
	Female	0.94	2.10

Here is a sample walking program the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. It is a guide to help you get started. Your walking sessions may be longer or shorter than this sample program, based on your ability. If you are walking less than three times per week, give yourself more than 2 weeks before adding time to your walk.

Warm-up Time Walk Slowly	Brisk-walk Time	Cool-down Time Walk Slowly and Stretch	Total Time
WEEKS 1–2
5 minutes	5 minutes	5 minutes	15 minutes
WEEKS 3–4
5 minutes	10 minutes	5 minutes	20 minutes
WEEKS 5–6
5 minutes	15 minutes	5 minutes	25 minutes
WEEKS 7–8
5 minutes	20 minutes	5 minutes	30 minutes
WEEKS 9–10
5 minutes	25 minutes	5 minutes	35 minutes
WEEKS 11–12
5 minutes	30 minutes	5 minutes	40 minutes
WEEKS 13–14
5 minutes	35 minutes	5 minutes	45 minutes
WEEKS 15–16
5 minutes	40 minutes	5 minutes	50 minutes
WEEKS 17–18
5 minutes	45 minutes	5 minutes	55 minutes
WEEKS 19–20
5 minutes	50 minutes	5 minutes	60 minutes

Medical Disclaimer

The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The content here is for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals.