Walking for good health

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Walking for 30 minutes a day or more on most days of the week is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health.

If you can’t manage 30 minutes a day, remember even short walks more frequently can be beneficial. Walking with others can turn exercise into an enjoyable social occasion.

See your doctor for a medical check-up before embarking on a higher-intensity new fitness program, particularly if you are aged over 40 years, are overweight or haven’t exercised in a long time.

A comfortable intensity for walking

For most people, there is little difference in the amount of energy used by walking a kilometre or running a kilometre – it’s just that walking takes longer. Plan to cover a set distance each day and monitor how long it takes you to walk this distance. As your fitness improves, you will be able to walk a longer distance and use more energy. Walking fast burns more kilojoules per hour than walking slowly, but this doesn’t mean you have to push yourself until you’re breathless. Instead, pace yourself so that you can still talk. This simple rule of thumb means that you walk safely within your target heart rate, which brings about health gains. Our bodies tend to get used to physical activity, so continue to increase your intensity as you improve your fitness levels.

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