Community Corner
Good Health Can Be a Walk in the Park
One of the best ways to hit a walk-off home run in the game of life is to walk, walk, then walk some more.
Walk in the park. Walk with a two- or four-legged friend. Walk up and down the stairs. Park your car far away from your destination and enjoy the walk.
Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calls walking “a wonder drug. It makes you happier and healthier; you live longer.” The CDC recommends people pursue at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Walking perfectly fits the bill.
Step It Up for Added Benefits
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Walking at even a slow pace is good for you. Faster is better, especially if you want to burn calories. To increase your speed, you needn’t take a longer stride; just take faster steps.
According to nutristrategy.com, a 150-pound woman walking at 3 MPH, or one mile in 20 minutes, burns 270 calories per hour. Increasing the speed to a brisk 4 MPH burns 350 calories per hour.
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Since 3,500 calories equal one pound in weight, accumulating 10 hours of walking at 4 MPH burns up an entire pound! That should be a great incentive to get off the couch, lace up your walking shoes and head on out the door. To burn even more calories, carry light hand-weights as you go.
On Your Mark. Get Set. Walk!
Maintain good posture, tighten your abdominals, pump your arms and don’t forget to smile!
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