Walk that Walk

Haven't been walking much lately so decided got to get back into building up my daily steps.  I have put on a few kilo's since being away on holidays so now need to get myself more active.  My diet is going okay and I am now woofing down my mufah's!! Let you now how they go.  Still trying to get some cultured vegies and activated nuts should be able to next time I am in he city.

Anyway back to the walking.  My daughter calls it 'The Nanny Walk' so what is the the Nanny Walk? It is building up the number of steps a day with the target being 9000.  First thing in the morning I walk 2000 steps around the house or inside the house, in and out of rooms up and down the passage. This takes me about 15 minutes. Don't have to worry about how you look, dogs in the street barking or jumping on you and you can shake it up as you go.  I try to make it as fun as possible. Then again before morning tea, and again before lunch, and again around afternoon tea. Not necessarily all in house just where I fancy. Depending on the day if I achieve these 8000 steps just by going through my daily routines I will add between 2 and 4000 steps.

So who is going to join me? 

If the 4 times a day is too much just two is going to increase your steps to start with or maybe you would prefer to break it into 3 lots of 3000.  Put on some music and move it, don't forget keeep your back straight, head up high and swing those arms. Using a pedometer is a great idea. There are many to choose from that clip on like the York Pedometer Pedometer which measures steps, distance, calories, time, and speed or Weight Watchers Pedometer with Points Tracker and Motion Sensor up to the more advanced like Nike Plus Sportband 2 Pedometer.

'Let's do the Nanny Walk'

Benefits of Walking

"Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:

• Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
• Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
• Lower your blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
• Manage your weight
• Improve your mood
• Stay strong and fit

All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the "no pain, no gain" talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging."

What Does Walking Do To Your Body?

"Regualr walking, like most aerobic activities, is good for you because cardio-vascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, increasing overall fitness.
Together with diet and other exercise plans, it can also help with weight loss and tone up muscles.
Dr Craig Williams a sports science lecturer at the University of Exeter is a firm believer in the benefits of walking, and says: 'It can improve muscle endurance as well as muscle strength, especially in the lower body.
'It is good for bones and improves the body's cardiovascular system. It also helps boost circulation.
'Power-walking - keeping a brisk pace at moderate to high intensity - can burn the same amount of calories as jogging or running. So it is useful for helping with weight loss.'
And, he adds: 'Because it is lowimpact, it does not have the same potential for injury as jogging. Yet it can offer all the benefits.'"

Walking improves your brain power

" A study of people over 60 funded by the National Council on Aging, published in the July 29, 1999 issue of Nature, found that walking 45 minutes a day at 16-minute mile pace increased the thinking skills of those over 60. The participants started at 15 minutes of walking and built up their time and speed. The result was that the same people were mentally sharper after taking up this walking program."

Walking improves mood and relieves stress

" Walking and other exercise leads to the release of the body's natural happy drugs - endorphins. Most people notice an improvement in mood. A Nov. 9, 1999 study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine showed that university students who walked and did other easy to moderate exercise regularly had lower stress levels than couch potatoes or those who exercised strenuously."

And who knows what else walking can help with seems the list goes on and on so come on join me and do

'The Nanny Walk'  

Special Diets

Sources:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-122898/Why-walking-workout-good-body.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

http://walking.about.com/od/beginners/tp/startwalking.htm