Let’s face the facts: for many of us, walking is the most frequent form of exercise we get. Sometimes it’s not even intended as exercise, but it still is. Your body is burning some energy to move those large muscles in the legs. If you get most of your daily exercise from walking, a new study has revealed that throwing a little something into the mix could help you achieve healthier results.
It all comes down to the pace at which you walk. Researchers have found that low-intensity walking (strolling in a relaxed manner) is unlikely to really give your body the important health benefits that are normally derived from aerobic exercise. You can still walk leisurely whenever you want, but they suggest that consciously adding some intensity every so often will be very beneficial for your body. In other words, pick up the pace sometimes.
Many experts — and, as a result, people — get caught up in the number of steps taken each day. Some say that people should aim for 10,000 steps. In fact, there is no shortage of step counters that you can buy and wear, which will keep track of your movements. But what matters most isn’t the number of steps you take, but rather the effort that you put into those steps. Obviously 10,000 strolling steps will not burn the fat and exercise the heart in the same way that 10,000 fast steps will.
The new study comes on the heels (so to speak) of previous ones that proved higher-intensity activities help control body fat, metabolize glucose and cholesterol, and increase the amount of oxygen available in the body. This time around, Canadian researchers compared the 10,000-step program against aerobic fitness at mild intensity (using a treadmill or stationary bike). The steppers walked at whatever pace they wanted.
Head to head, when the two programs were matched for the same energy expenditure, the fitness program on the treadmill or bike increased fitness levels and blood pressure to a greater degree in participants than the step program did. It also increased the participants’ oxygen intake by 10% while the steppers had a four percent increase.
The researchers stress that the step program is a reasonable place to start; as in if one doesn’t exercise, it’s a good way to get going. But after that, you need to put in more than your self-decided pace and you need to consciously increase your intensity. You don’t need a stationary bike or a treadmill to do this. If you are out for a walk, put in 10 to 15 minutes of a brisk pace rather than just leisure walking the whole time. Your heart will thank you for it.
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Tags: Cholesterol, glucose
