Should I Pick Up the Pace?

Q: My doctor told me that I need to get more aerobic exercise, but I hate going to the gym! I do like to walk, but how fast and how long should I go to improve my cardiovascular health?

A:
I understand exactly what you mean about going to the gym; I'm not a big fan of it either. Personally, I prefer to exercise outdoors or at home. And like you, I really enjoy walking.

Recently, I've begun recommending what's known as interval walking to many of my patients. With interval walking, you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and easier recovery periods, as opposed to walking at a steady, continuous, and potentially monotonous pace. In fact, studies show that you can get better results in 20 minutes of interval exercise than you would in an hour of steady-state exercise. And you can apply the principles of interval walking to a treadmill or elliptical trainer, to biking or swimming, or even to doing jumping jacks in your living room.

So how do you do interval walking? Instead of walking at a constant pace for your entire workout, as you've probably been doing, you should mix it up. That is, after a three-minute warm-up where you walk at an easy or moderate pace, you should alternate short bursts of very fast walking (15 to 60 seconds, depending on your conditioning) with recovery periods of slower walking after each fast burst. You can repeat each interval six to 12 times, or more depending on your fitness level. Aim for walking a total of 20 minutes to start. In general, the more intense the workout (in other words, the faster you go), the shorter the duration of that interval and the longer the recovery period. Conversely, when you're not working as hard, your work period will be longer and your recovery period will be shorter. For example, if you like taking an hour-long walk on weekends, you can certainly do intervals, but don't try to spend the entire hour working at high intensity. And always end with a two-minute cooldown at an easy pace.

I recommend that you do interval walking every other day, alternating it with some core-strengthening exercises. Not only will this type of walking improve your cardiovascular health, it will boost your metabolism so you burn more calories and fat, and that translates into faster weight loss.

Interval training is not only for the very fit. It works just as well for people who are less fit, and is even being used to help cardiac patients and people with lung disease get back in shape. That said, I do recommend that you talk with your doctor before embarking on this or any other exercise program.

Walk Your Way to Fitness

A regular walking workout can benefit your overall health. Find out why fitness walking is so important and how you can get started. If you’re like most people, you walk just under three miles every day in the course of your normal activities. Now it’s time to get a little more purposeful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the Surgeon General all agree that at least 30 minutes of brisk physical exercise is good for your health, and walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise to get.

Some of the many benefits of a regular walking workout include:

Cardiovascular health. Fitness walking strengthens your heart, improves your circulation, and lowers your blood pressure. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine evaluated 73,743 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study and found that women who walked briskly 2.5 hours every week reduced their chance of heart disease by 30 percent.Bone health. As a weight-bearing exercise, walking can stop some of the bone loss of osteoporosis and may slow down arthritis.Weight loss. A regular walking workout burns calories. If you walk 4 miles four times a week, you can walk off about a half-pound of fat every month. Weight loss combined with a healthy diet can also decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes.Mental health. Studies show that fitness walking reduces stress and improves your overall sense of emotional well-being. A regular walking workout can help you enjoy deeper, more restful sleep, which may decrease your risk for anxiety and depression. How to Start Your Walking Workout

The speed and distance of your walking workout are not as important as the time you spend walking at a brisk pace. If you have any health issues talk to your doctor first and find out what is a safe pace for you. Start gradually and walk only as far and as long as is comfortable. Follow these fitness walking guidelines:

Work up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking a day.
Warm up by walking at your normal pace for about 5 minutes and then pick up the pace for about 15 minutes.
While you walk, swing your arms and maintain good posture.
Take long strides, but don't strain yourself.
Slow down at the end of your walk and do some gentle stretching.
Every week you should try to add about 5 more minutes to the brisk part of your walking workout until you can get it to over 30 minutes.

By Chris Iliades, MD
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD