Walk To Avoid Heart Disease
Fitness Tip
Women who walk only one hour a week at an easy pace have half the risk of coronary heart disease as sedentary women.
These results are from a study of over 40,000 women and were published in the March Journal of American Medical Association. And while I don't care for studies that discount men, it's pretty safe to say in this case that men would benefit close to, if not more of the same benefits. But the study was specifically done on women.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
A high level of cardiorspiratory fitness lowers your risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Cardiorespiratory fitness is the ability of your heart and lungs to supply oxygen and fuel to your working muscles for prolonged periods of time.
Any activity that involves rhythmic, steady movements of the large muscle groups will benefit your heart and lungs. You should choose an activity you enjoy so you will stick with it. Among the exercises you should consider are brisk walking, jogging, swimming, aerobic exercise classes, biking, dancing and rowing. - (Weill Cornell Medical College)
It doesn't even matter if you walk fast or slow, just so you get an hour in every week.
Think of that! That's only 10 minutes, six days out of the week!
Of course more is better - suppose you knew that was coming - but this is very good news, especially for those who are not used to walking or any exercise for that matter.
According to this study, women who did more vigorous exercise had an even lower risk of heart disease, but we all have to start somewhere and even if you stayed with this one hour a week, you're still giving yourself important health benefits.
Walking Freebie!
Download our free eBook, which will guide you into a walking program of your own. Read more and download the Walking for Fitness eBook (PDF).