Revisiting Walking

When starting a weight loss program one of the things that makes most people cringe is the thought of starting an exercise program.  Let’s face it, as I have discussed here many times before – the math is easy – calories burned need to exceed calories consumed.  If you take in more calories than you put out you gain weight.  Simple!

When starting an exercise program many people start off fast and furious, then when the muscle aches and joint pains start – they ease off (or totally give up) and it derails all their best intentions.  When it comes to exercise for weight loss slow and steady far outdoes fast and furious.

And – almost everyone can walk.

 It is inexpensive.

It requires no gym membership.

It requires no special equipment, other than a suitable pair of shoes.

It can be done almost anywhere … sidewalks, trails, malls, indoor tracks or in your living room in front of a tape such as Leslie Sansone’s One Mile Walk.  (As much as I try to avoid promoting specific products, her One Mile Walk DVD is excellent, as are all her programs)

I have read many articles over the years about people who have lost significant weight with the combination of walking and sensible eating.  NOTE:  I said the combination of exercise and sensible eating.  No point in going for a walk when your destination is the nearest donut shop or to finish your walk in time to watch you favorite television program accompanied by a bag of potato chips.

In an article I read recently in Canadian Living Magazine, Ann Douglas states “I challenged myself to become physically active for the first time ever.  I dusted off the unused treadmill sitting in the spare bedroom and treated myself to a FitBit (a wearable pedometer) for motivation.  I aimed for a minimum of 10,000  steps (roughly eight kilometers of walking) each day.  At first, a walk around the block was all I could manage.  It took only a few minutes of walking before I would start to experience excruciating cramping on the soles of my feet.  But as I built up my endurance and the weight began to come off, the foot pain disappeared and being active became a joy rather than an agony.”  Further along in the article she says, “I’ve developed an unexpected love of physical activity.  Twice daily walks keep my anxiety levels in check.  I feel better on days when I am physically active (less restless and edgy, as if I have too much of the wrong kind of energy).  I have a newfound respect for my body and what it can do, and I constantly challenge myself to increase my strength and stamina.”  She concludes by adding, “Sure, I have managed to lose a lot – 120 pounds, to be precise.  But I have gained so much more; I have gained a life.”

I found that really inspiring and it was all due to some lifestyle changes and walking.

Take the lesson of The Tortoise and The Hare to heart … slow and steady really does win the race – when it comes to getting healthy.

 Walking is the ideal low impact aerobic exercise.  That’s why walking has become one of the most popular ways to stay fit.  As stated above, it’s inexpensive – all it takes is a little motivation and a comfortable pair of shoes.

Last time we talked about walking I posted a video called 23 ½ Hours, which showed the benefits of simply walking ½ hour per day … leaving you 23 ½ hours to do whatever else in your life needs to be done.  Recent studies once again confirm that premise … according to the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, men who walk at least half an hour, six days a week, can cut their mortality rate from heart disease in half, compared to those who are sedentary.  Studies show similar heart health benefits for women when the exercise regularly.

Regular walking CAN and DOES help control weight.  When combined with a low-calorie, low-fat diet, walking daily can help reduce body weight and fat. It’s an effective calorie burner.  Walking at an even pace for 1 hour burns about 350 calories, while walking briskly and moving your arms with each stride can burn as much as 500 calories, depending on your metabolism.  The extra bonus is that you will continue to burn calories even after you’ve finished exercising. 

Imagine burning calories even while you sleep!

Walking is no different than any other exercise.  To maximize the benefits you must sustain an activity for at least 20 to 60 minutes at each session … BUT … if you are out of shape or have physical limitations start with a 5 or 10 minutes workout and very gradually add 2 minutes every week or so until you reach your goal.  Even a leisurely walk of 10 –20 minutes every day is beneficial … then if you decide you want to make that leisurely stroll into a real workout, follow these guidelines used by the famous marathon walker Ruth Artz:

1. Try to take long strides using your gluteal muscles (the muscle in your butt) to propel your forward.
2. Bend your arms lightly, swinging them as you walk.
3. Stand up straight with your abdominal muscles tucked in.
4. Maintain a pace at which you are breathing deeply but can still carry on a conversation, although you would prefer not to.
5. If your breathing becomes labored and conversation difficult, you are working out too hard.  Anytime you fell out of breath or have any pain, slow down or take a break.

I know … it seems hard to believe that something as simple as walking can make a difference but it’s true!  In the Chatelaine Magazine’s Health section (September 2013) they had an article called “30 IS THE NEW 60” and it reiterated all of the above information as well as the information in the 23 ½ Hours video. 

“Researchers at the University of Copenhagen discovered that an hour of exercise isn’t any more effective for weight loss than a 30-minute power session.”  Granted, you will definitely burn more calories by extending your work out, so if you can keep going, by all means do so.  “You’re also more likely to to exercise and stick to it when it takes less time.”

Lee Scott the founder of WOW Power Walking says, “On a scale of one to ten where one is easy and ten totally exhausting, aim for a rating of six to eight for most of the walk.  Warm up for about five minutes at a slower pace.  Once you hit your stride, don’t stop.”

If you want to “put some extra pep in your step” he recommends the following:

1. Pump your arms.  A few tweaks to your walking technique can boost the number of calories you burn.  The best thing you can do is bend your elbows into a running position and pick up the pace.  Then aim for short, quick steps (they make you move faster).  Finally, keep your chin up and eyes focused in front of you (not at the ground).  People tend to look down, especially if you are going up a hill, but that only slows you down.
2. Set mini destination goals.  Track your intensity by walking one or two city blocks at a fast speed, followed by one block at a recovery speed.  Continue alternating speeds until you eliminate the slower intervals.  Challenge yourself by walking in one direction for 15 minutes, then turn around and try to make it back to the same spot in 10 minutes.
3. Add some hill training.  Inclines are one of the easiest ways to boost intensity.  The hill doesn’t have to be steep.  Walking up and down even a mild slope increases the difficulty – and turns your walk into a killer glute workout.
4. Toss in a circuit or two.  Alternative five-minute burst of walking with lunges, push-ups and squats.  You don’t need any equipment for these basic moves, and they’re a great way to add strength-training twist to any waling workout.

Okay, reality check … not all of us are ready for the amped up version of Mr. Scott’s power walks.  For those of us who need to start slowly or who really cannot get out to walk or spare the time on the treadmill, remember … one to two minute periods of exercise that add up to 30 minutes of activity a day, are just as beneficial for preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome as s structured program.  Oregon State University researchers recommend building exercise into our daily routines.  For example, by using a rake instead of a leaf blower, or by pacing while talking on the phone you can sneak in periods of exercise to burn off those calories. 

The magic number s 10,000

steps per day!

The age-old trick of parking your car a little further from the front door to the mall, the grocery store or your office will help add steps.

If you are watching television get up and walk in place during the commercials.  Every little bit helps.

If you have a dog walk him ... or borrow a neighbours dog!  You know what they say ... "If your dog is overweight, it means YOU are NOT getting enough exersize.

Change is always difficult, but think of all the benefits of adding just a little bit of movement into your day. The key to success lies within yourself, so lace up your sneakers and put one foot in front of the other and you will be starting your own walking program to better health!

Thursday's Random Thought (Walk While You Work)

Have you ever “accidentally taken” a magazine from a waiting room? 

Come on, you can admit it.  I won’t tell anyone!

I hate to admit it but I did – just the other day.

I usually walk around with a book or my e-reader in my handbag, but on this day (of course) I did not have either with me.  I had occasion to be sitting in a waiting room and was thumbing through a magazine (Chatelaine April 2013).  As I came upon the article that was the inspiration for this blog entry I was called in to my appointment (of course).  I held the magazine in my hand as I walked into the office, sat down, rolled up the magazine and tucked it into my purse as if it were my own.  I would feel guilty but as it turns out I have a return appointment next Tuesday, so I am going to, just as surreptitiously, return the magazine to the waiting room. 

Hey, it’s better than tearing the pages out and leaving the rest of the magazine there.  I hate it when people do that because invariably the “continued on” pages of the article I’m reading was located on the opposite side of the page that has been torn out.

By now you are probably thinking to yourself, “Enough already.  What was the darn article about?”

It was titled “Walk While You Work” and it introduced the idea of ‘treadmill desks”.  The tag-line read, “Melt off that muffin top, add years to your life and clear out your inbox (without breaking a sweat!) on a treadmill desk – coming soon to an office near you”.    Honestly, it probably won’t be coming to an office near me anytime in the foreseeable future.  A.  My boss would never go for it and B.  I am just not coordinated enough to pull that off.

Researchers at Brigham Young University recently linked lack of exercise with poor work performance and lower productivity of up to 50 percent.  (Then again, maybe my boss would go for it if I showed him those stats?  Nah, I can’t even get him to invest in a new computer right now.)  Researchers also linked the health risks with our increasingly sedentary lifestyle, dubbing it “sitting disease”.  Inactivity stresses the heart, clouds critical thinking and messes with how our bodies process cholesterol, blood sugar and gats.  It can also lead to diabetes, cancer and premature death. 

The good news – a recent study found cutting the time spent sitting in half can increase life expectancy by two years!

The article goes on to say that 70 percent of us spend six or more hours a day in a chair.  Even weekly workouts are not enough to offset the damage due to too little movement.  Several studies show that something as simple as standing for two minutes every 20 minutes can fight the unhealthy effects of sitting.  If you take a walk break every 20 minutes, the results are immediate: blood pressure drops, blood sugar stabilizes and the enzyme that helps break up fat in your bloodstream fires up.  After two weeks you’ll even begin producing more brain cells, particularly those related to memory and learning.

Now I am the first to admit that I complain about never having enough time to do everything I have to do, much less carve out a little bit of time for things I want to do.  But, a treadmill at my desk … I don’t know? … I picture being all sweaty dealing with customers, being out of breath when I answer the phone, reaching for something and ending up flying off the back of the treadmill … all sorts of interesting pictures come to mind and none of them are too flattering.

Apparently the makers of these desk treadmills (www.lifespan.com $999) have factored in my “klutz factor”.  Unlike regular gym models, treadmill desks max out at just over 6.4 km per hour, so they can run all day without burning out their motors.  The suggested pace for walking and working at the same time is 1 mph (1.6 km).  This means, say the manufacturers, that we can “run” a slow moving marathon without even noticing we’re doing it.  Light cardio exercise boosts the production of feel-good chemicals and lowers levels of stress hormones.

The result?

The Mayo Clinic says we can burn 800 calories or more a day, which can translate to weight loss of 15 to 50 pounds in a year.  It may also eliminate that afternoon sugar craving.  A simple 15-minute stroll can cut chocolate cravings in half.  The article claims that because you are moving slowly, it does not interfere with daily tasks, like tapping out emails or talking on the phone.

Before I go on I need to address that last line with a bit of a personal note.  I have a treadmill at home and I do enjoy walking on it.  It’s down time – I do not have to think about anything or concentrate on anything except putting one foot in front of the other.  I prefer it to walking outside because it forces me to maintain a consistent pace (of my own choosing) and there are no obstacles to worry about (there’s that klutz factor rearing its ugly head again).  There are also no weather concerns (okay that’s a plus/minus point because it also means I can’t use ice and snow as an excuse not to walk).  I listen to music while I am on the treadmill.  I have mentioned before that I need that thump-thump-thump to keep my feet moving.  I cannot concentrate of listening to an audio book.  I cannot concentrate on a television program or a movie.  Granted I walk faster than 1 mph on my treadmill at home, but if I can’t even watch a television program how am I supposed to concentrate on work, or carry on an intelligent telephone conversation or type an email while I am walking on the treadmill? 

I’m not trying to be a Negative Nellie, but for me (and it is after all my blog) the treadmill desk would not work.  It’s an interesting idea and for some (more coordinated) folks it would definitely be an interesting idea for the workplace.

My other main concern?  In all the pictures I looked at in the magazine and on line the people walking/working has these wonderful, well-organized, tidy desktops and apparently no need, what-so-ever, for desk drawers and files.

Mine never looks like that while I am working.

If, like me, you are not going to have a treadmill desk delivered anytime soon there are a few other steps you can take to get in a little exercise and burn off a few calories while at work.

-         take the stairs instead of the elevator

-         stand up whenever possible, standing burns an extra 56 calories per hour

-         walking to a coworkers desk with communications instead of emailing them burns an extra 12 calories

-         if you must sit at your desk and/or in meetings for extended periods of time try to get up every 20 minutes or so and have a stretch or do a couple of squats

According to Chatelaine Magazine next year Lifespan plans to roll out a cycle chair.  It would definitely be a little more stable but for many of the same reasons I stated above, in my personal situation I don’t think this would work out any better than the treadmill desk.  Besides, with both the treadmill desk and the cycle chair I have these thoughts of two people (probably men – sorry!) deciding it would be fun to have a “race”.  Under no circumstance would that ever be a good idea in the office.

Remember a few years ago when fitness and health experts were suggesting a stability ball instead of a chair at your desk to help strengthen your core.  That was a non-intrusive addition to the work place.  However, maybe because in my line of work I have occasions throughout the course of the day where I deal with the public walking in, I could never get over the “dork” factor.  I envisioned all sorts of ugly scenarios if I tried to get up too quickly.

Yeah –

I think I will stick to doing my workouts in the privacy of my own home, while constantly

complaining about the lack of time to do them.

Of course!

Thursday's Random Thought (Menus listing calories and exercise)

Scenario:

You have just been seated at your favourite restaurant.  You have been looking forward to this meal and ordering your favourite menu item all week.  When the waitress hands you the menu you notice that there is a something different in the way it looks.  Your favourite items are still listed but listed beside each item is the amount of time it would take to burn off that meal by taking a brisk walk.

Would that information make you rethink you ordering choice?

Would you still order that dessert if you knew that it would take two hours of brisk walking to burn it off?

In the U.S. “by law, retail food establishments that are part of a chain with twenty or more locations nationwide must disclose the calories content of each menu item.”  However, the majority of studies show that providing information on calorie count does not lead to fewer calories ordered or consumed.  In the first study of its kind, researchers at Texas Christian University have discovered that out of group of 300 study participants, those ordering from a menu that displayed the amount of exercise needed to burn off the calories in each food, ordered significantly fewer calories than those ordering from a menu not showing either calories or exercise-costs.

The study (in a nutshell) went something like this;

GROUP ONE – (99 participants) - ordered lunch from a menu without calorie or exercise labels.

GROUP TWO – (99 participants) – ordered lunch from a menu listing only calories

GROUP THREE – (102 participants) – ordered lunch from a menu with labels as to the minutes of brisk walk needed to burn the calories of each food.

All of menus listed the same food and beverage options.

THE RESULTS:

The researchers found that the Exercise-listed group ordered and consumed significantly fewer calories than the No-Calories-listed group.

However, they found that the No-Calories-listed Group and the Calories-listed groups did not differ significantly in the food calories ordered and consumed.

The groups were all under the age of 30 and the researchers do not want to generalize, but in the groups of young men and women studied listing exercise times to burn off the menu items made a BIG difference in the their choices.  The researchers chose “brisk walking” since everyone can relate to the activity.  They plan on continuing their research with other age groups to see if the results are similar.

Would it make a difference to me?  I think it would because I am on this journey.

Would it make a difference to someone else not concerned about their weight?  In my opinion, whether that person is overweight or not, if they are not concerned going in that number on the menu is probably not going to make a difference in their ordering (despite the study).

Would it make a difference to you?

23 1/2 Hours

When my daughters were younger they were very involved in organized sports.  For anyone who has children you know that this is both very time consuming and very expensive.  Why did I do it?  Truthfully, I supported them as long as they wanted to participate because I never wanted them to have to fight the weight battle like their mom.  The best consequence of that is that they are both very healthy and fit young women who happen to still enjoy physical activity.  The other by-product is that they are my best support system in trying to become more active myself.

My youngest has recently developed an issue that requires some physical therapy and has been told to limit her activity at the gym.  Not wanting to give up on her own fitness level she has taken to walking … everywhere and anytime she can.  So I need to thank her for sharing the following internet find with me.  I thought it was informative and interesting enough to share here.

Dr. Evans goes through the information pretty quickly in the video so let me recap some one the important points.

Walking has the biggest impact on and has the biggest return for the time investment on your health and fitness.

Walking makes the biggest difference to your health.

Walking is beneficial for so many different health problems.

Patients with knee arthritis who walked for one hour three times a week reduced their rates of pain and disability by 47%.

By walking, older patients reduced progression of Dementia and Alzheimer’s by around 50%.

Patients at high risk of diabetes, when coupled with other lifestyle interventions, found walking reduced progression to Frank Diabetes by 58%.

Post menopausal women who walked 4 hours a week had a 41% reduction in the risk of a hip fracture.

In patients suffering from depression, 30% were relieved with a short walking program and then it bumped up to 47% as walking time increased.

The best outcome is in overall quality of life, which encompasses all of the above.  It’s really about making your life better and walking has been shown again and again to improve quality of life.

The best thing you can do for your health is to spend half an hour being active.  It has been proven that obesity and no exercise is a very bad combination, being responsible for the most negative consequences of obesity from a health point of view.  If the obese person increased their activity - even if they did not have a weight loss – the activity made a significant difference.  Their overall health was much, much better and the exercise annihilated many of the negative consequences of obesity.

The rate of return seems to decline after 20 to 30 minutes of walking a day.  So from a health perspective thirty minutes is the most beneficial.

24 Hours - 1/2 hour = 23 1/2 Hours

We see big differences when somebody goes from not doing anything to doing something.  In the case of high blood pressure it was found that under 10 minute walking made no significant difference, an 11 minute to 20 minute walk resulted in a 12% reduction in rates of high blood pressure (hypertension) and at over 21 minutes walking, a 29% decrease of rates in high blood pressure.  So the authors calculate that with every 10 minute increase in your walking, there's a 12% reduction of likelihood of getting high blood pressure.

“Somebody has to do something;
it’s just incredibly pathetic that it
has to be us'

         Jerry Garcia, lead singer for the 'Grateful Dead'

                                                 

                                “Walking is man's best medicine”

                                     Hippocrates, father of modern medicine

Who is Dr. Mike Evans and what are his qualifications for making the claims about walking?  The following is from his website.

My name is Mike Evans. I am a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto. I also run something called the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. My interest is engaging users and people with varied skills, particularly creatives, and mushing them together with researchers and clinicians to re-invent patient education. My recent YouTube release of “23 and 1/2 hours: what is the single most important thing for your health?” is a good example. With over a million views in the first month I think others also thought it was worthwhile. One theme that I see emerging is the need for clinicians to become part-time “curators” of the best health information for their patients, which is what My Favourite Medicine is all about…

When I started in medicine I was most interested in getting things right, what we in healthcare call “evidence-based medicine”. I chaired the provincial guidelines initiative, started a critical appraisal column in Canadian Family Physician, sat on the Canadian Expert Drug Advisory Committee, and chief-edited Canada’s top selling primary care textbook of medicine. Then I got into more of the research on how to improve practice and became the Scientific Officer for Knowledge Translation at the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and became a funded research scholar in Family Medicine. The general theme was there is no “magic bullet” and that multi-faceted interventions work best. I became increasingly interested in the patient-facing parts of these trials.