Taking the simple steps to a healthier habit

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Taking the simple steps to a healthier habit You may want to start swapping your gym membership for some good walking shoes, because this simple form of exercise may be the answer to maintaining that right weight and healthy lifestyle. New research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) states that people over 50, and women of all ages, who regularly walked briskly for more than 30 minutes at a time, had a lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waistlines than those who say they favour other exercises like gym workouts, cycling and swimming. NO FUSS FITNESS A big factor to why it’s effective is that people who like to walk tend to do it regularly, so they are more active overall compared with non-walkers who, while may do other workouts, are possibly doing them far less frequently. Previous studies also found walking can be far more effective in terms of aiding fitness and weight loss, and warding off diseases than people might think. Dr Grace Lordan, who led the LSE research notes, people who take up walking tend to stick with it more than other fitness regimen. “People are also more likely to get walking ‘right’, as compared to gym exercises. It’s easier to know if you’re working to a moderate level with walking,” Dr Lordan adds. She stresses that although any exercise is better than none, to achieve significant results, walking needs to be at a decent pace, to a level where you’re perspiring and out of breath, for 30 minutes, five times a week. ENDLESS BENEFITS As well as helping with weight management, Lordan says brisk walks could lower your cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular illnesses, as well as improving your mental and physical health. “Given that regular walking is an easier habit to adopt regularly than high-impact classes or complicated regimens, I would have to say that we do underestimate how a regular walking habit could modify the lifestyles of many people. And walking costs nothing but your time,” she says. Lordan is calling for a campaign to promote walking as an effective way to tackle obesity, rather than public health messages about healthy eating. “I would like to see a walking campaign targeted at people who currently do no activity,” she says. “It would be fantastic to see a campaign that lets people know that every brisk step counts.” Claire Francis, from the UK-based walking and cycling charity Sustrans, agrees: “Walking is the perfect exercise – free, simple and easily incorporated into our daily routine and travels. But sadly, many of us are missing out. “If taking regular walks were a drug, doctors would prescribe it to absolutely everyone. It’s a silver bullet for so many of our health, economic and environmental woes.” WHY WALKING WORKS A recent report from The Ramblers and Macmillan Cancer Support organisation, who run guided Walking For Health schemes in various locations, suggested that 37,000 deaths could be prevented every year, if more of us started taking regular walks. It pointed out that being active significantly reduces the risk of getting heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancers and Alzheimer’s disease by 20-50 per cent, as well as helping maintain a healthy weight, increasing good cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, building healthy muscles and bones, improving balance and reducing the risk of falls. Furthermore, being physically active helps people feel less stressed, sleep better, have a 30 per cent lower risk of getting depressed and a reduced risk of developing dementia. features@7days.ae Read the original story at: Taking the simple steps to a healthier habit