Walking for health

If you were told that there was an exercise that could give you a zest for life, more energy and tone your muscles, your immediate thought might be of something quite physical or sporty.

But the reality is that this is something most of us do every day, without even thinking about it – walking.

So, perhaps it’s time that we started to think of walking as more than just a means of getting around – it’s a great health and fitness tool too!

Walking your way to better health

If you’ve seen the Change4Life's Walk4Life campaign, you’ll know that walking is an exercise that is suitable for almost everyone.

Walking is an easy, low impact activity that provides a good workout for the heart and lungs, and helps tone your body.

It also counts towards the 30 minutes of daily physical activity that research shows can reduce your risk of cancer.

Walking at a faster pace burns more calories which can help you to manage your weight, which is also important for cancer prevention.

Your best foot forward

Even if you haven’t been active for a while, taking up walking can make all the difference to your health.

Walking can also be a good choice of exercise for those with high blood pressure or diabetes, and for those recovering from surgery and other types of treatment. But it’s best to check with your GP before embarking on any new exercise.

Out and about

The great thing about walking, apart from being surrounded by the wonderful nature and beauty of the great outdoors, is that it can be done at your own pace.

You can start off gradually and build on this as you become fitter. Because walking is a social activity it can easily include others and this can make it seem like fun, rather than a work-out!

Why not organise a WCRF UK Walking Together sponsored walk and raise money for cancer prevention at the same time?

Thirty minutes or more a day

For improved overall health and a reduced risk of cancer, WCRF UK recommends 30 minutes of moderate activity (such as walking) each day.

Your 30 minutes of activity can be broken into smaller chunks to make reaching your target easier.

So, why not try our four-week walking plan? Follow each routine for seven days before moving on to the next week’s programme.

This will build your fitness up slowly. You can add a few minutes to your walk each week, and in no time you will easily manage 30 minutes of walking each day.

Warming up

It’s a good idea to ‘warm up’ before you begin your walk each day. Try these warm up ideas.

• March on the spot briefly, pushing the toes down first then rolling through the foot to the heel
• Tap toe-heel, toe-heel on one foot 10 times, repeat with the other foot
• Hold on to a wall and raise yourself up onto both toes (as high as you can) and then lower the heels to the floor. Do 8 raises and lowers, shake the calves out and repeat
  
• Take one leg out behind you (as if you are in a lunge position). Now push the back heel off the floor and press it back down again. Repeat on each leg 8 times.

Four-week walking plan

Try this simple plan to help you build up the amount of walking you do.

Week	Walking workout			Total
1	Walk slowly for 5 mins	Walk briskly for 6 mins	Walk slowly for 5 mins	16min
2	Walk slowly for 5 mins	Walk briskly for 9 mins	Walk slowly for 5 mins	19min
3	Walk slowly for 6 mins	Walk briskly for 12 mins	Walk slowly for 6 mins	24min
4	Walk slowly for 7 mins	Walk briskly for 16 mins	Walk slowly for 7 mins	30min

Find other ways to be more active and reduce your cancer risk.