Walking back the decline in exercise this summer
It’s an unassuming exercise, but walking can be great for your health. Here are some tips to get you started.
In an age where almost everything comes at a cost, what if there was an exercise you could do that’s cheap, largely accessible, requires little equipment and has been given the tick of approval by the Heart Foundation?
Yes, folks, we’re talking about the humble foot falcon.
Lace up, because during the next six weeks we will be providing you with hints and tips to get you started and share stories to inspire you to get moving and up your pace. It’s all part of the Heart Foundation Walking program, which is the country’s largest free walking network and offers personalised weekly plans that you can sign up for in the link below.
If you’re nervous about walking alone, the foundation may even be able to help connect you with free walking groups in your local area.
Elizabeth Calleja, an exercise physiologist and the National Physical Activity Adviser for the Heart Foundation, said the benefits of walking were multifaceted but it was sometimes under-valued as legitimate exercise.
“Yes, walking is enough, and it is sufficient for people to be active for the cardiovascular health benefits, mental health benefits, and also to prevent other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer,” Ms Calleja said.
“It’s helping our body to improve cognitive abilities, helping to reduce anxiety and reduce symptoms of depression.”
Ms Calleja said walking is a solid option for people wanting to get more active. “Our bodies were meant to walk, whether it be just walking to the bus stop and getting 15 minutes in each way, we know people who are active to and from work are more likely to be active overall.”
According to the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 55 per cent of adults do not meet the nation’s physical activity guidelines. That increases to 70 per cent for children aged two to 17 years. Those are disturbing statistics because inactivity is linked to potentially deadly diseases including diabetes, bowel cancer, uterine cancer, dementia, breast cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke.
The Department of Health and Aged Care said many Australians attributed their inactivity to poor health, injury or a lack of time.
So, let’s start with some realistic tips to get you started. The first is to make a weekly plan, listing out days you want to walk more. Then, make sure you have comfortable and supportive shoes, and try walking to local destinations like a shop or find an enjoyable place nearby and start at a pace that’s easy and achievable.
Ms Calleja said starting small is fine – even just 10 or 15 minutes here and there – and building up each week in both duration and intensity until you’re walking for at least 30 minutes each day. “Go for a walking lunch break, park your car further away when you get to work. There are different ways to build up,” she said.
The foundation said people who caught public transport rather than drove were one-and-a-half times more likely to achieve 30 minutes of exercise each day.
Federal guidelines recommend people aged 18 to 64 years do between two-and-a-half and five hours of moderate activity, like brisk walking, per week, plus strength training on at least two days. Strength training not only helps to support our muscles but is good for bone health and can help to better protect against harmful falls.
For people aged over 65, guidelines recommend doing at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most or all days and including strength exercises.
People living with chronic disease or disability are advised to speak with a medical professional about what level of physical activity might best suit them.
Like most things health-related, prevention is key. “We should all be doing strength training,” Ms Calleja said. “The prevention part is really important.
“So, yes, from the age of 65 up it’s really important that it should be something that’s done on a weekly basis. But we want to, from 45 and up, start to make sure that we’re keeping ourselves healthy.”
