What's in a walk?

You're well aware that you are piling on the pounds. You know the many ways to get rid of them. But you also know you would rather eat another packet of crisps than join a gym.

But with the weather so beautiful at the moment, sitting on the couch and watching telly hardly seems as appealing. It's perfect to venture outdoors, breathe in the crisp air and get a spring in your step. And you'll lose those extra pounds in the process.

"Walking takes on a totally different meaning when you take it up as a form of exercise," says Dr Nafisa Eqbal Hussain Tayabally, a general practitioner at the Laika Medical Centre in Sharjah.

"Walking may seem like a simple day-to-day activity but as a form of exercise there are certain rules to be followed. It's important to keep your posture straight, chin up and eyes fixed straight. Your shoulders should be down, kept back and relaxed at all times. You should also tighten your abdominal muscles so that your gait resembles a natural stride.

"It's the best form of exercise for all age groups and probably the easiest. A good pair of shoes and light, comfortable cotton clothing are a good start," she says.

Tayabally, who is a former GP, Ministry of Health-Kuwaiti and Qassimi Hospitals, Sharjah, says: "Walking is known to be a mood lifter and improves cognitive abilities. If you walk often, you'll feel less anxious. It helps alleviate symptoms of depression, keeps blood pressure and blood sugar at a healthy level, makes your heart pump faster and decreases the risk of heart attacks. Walking also helps in relieving back pain. It speeds up metabolism and keeps joints lubricated and simultaneously develops muscular endurance. Regular walking also reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer."

According to Dr Tayabally, walking for 40 to 60 minutes a day helps a lot in achieving optimal weight loss goals but if it's for general health, one should walk at least five days a week. "Once you get into the habit of walking, you may want to take it a step further and introduce a few cardiovascular exercises to get better results.

"If you're new to walking," she says, "start off on a slow note in small sessions and gradually add five minutes every week.

"It's important to start with warming up exercises, and to end by cooling down properly," says Adam Nazer, managing director and head personal trainer, Dunamis Personal Training and Development in Dubai. "Drink plenty of water before, during and after walking. Start at a slow pace, stop and do a few warm up exercises. Stretching makes you feel great and assists in preventing bone injuries."

Walk the walk

Both experts believe that walking has similar benefits as running. But compared to running, walking does not usually cause as many muscle and bone injuries.

People who are interested in getting cardiovascular benefits (to get the heart rate up), must opt for brisk walking. "In this form of walking," says Dr Tayabally, "a person's heart and respiratory rates increase to meet the increased demand of oxygen. This increases the metabolic demand in the body. However, people with health conditions like high blood pressure should consult a general practitioner before commencing the programme."

Physical benefits

"The amount of calories you lose when you're walking depends on your age, fitness level and your overall body metabolism," says Nazer. "But on an average, many people tend to lose 100 calories per mile."

"Broadly, we put it this way," says Dr Tayabally. "One mile is almost equal to 5,280 feet. For most active people, it takes about 2,000 steps for every mile covered, depending on the stride. And because an average stride is between two to three feet in length, one mile should be anywhere between 1,760 and 2,640 steps."

"Also, one pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories," she adds. "And ideally one should lose between one to two pounds per week. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. So don't expect magic in the beginning. If you stick to walking on a daily basis, you will see remarkable results in a few weeks' time. But if you begin to lose faster or more than that, you may be losing muscle mass in addition to the fat. In order to average the loss of one pound per week, it would be necessary to burn an additional 500 calories per day. This way, 500 calories lost every day for seven continuous days will result in a loss of 3,500 calories."

Nazer recommends combining a few cardiovascular exercises and reducing the calorie intake after consulting a doctor or a dietician.

"There are several key (physical) benefits of walking every day," he says. "Not only do you get a healthier heart, an increase in metabolism, a steady decrease in body fat but good digestion and an increase in bone density. Slowly and steadily increase your pace," he advises. "Always keep in mind your fitness level, walking technique, goals and of course the terrain. Use the talk test. If you can't speak without gasping for air you are walking too fast but if you can sing a song while walking, you are probably walking too slow."

Mental benefits

"Most of my patients complain about being lonely and depressed as they're away from their families and loved ones," says Dr Tayabally. "While every individual has different interests, I have observed that people mentally benefit a lot when they go for a walk. Irrespective of what the person likes or would like to do in his spare time, walking is also known to be a good way to spend time with yourself. Even if done at a leisurely pace, walking helps you de-clutter your mind, find solutions to issues or concerns and is a definite mood lifter. A walk in a park or by the beach also aids in connecting with Mother Nature. It's also a multi-sensory way to decompress and relax."

"Ask yourself when was the last time you got the time to smell the fresh morning air," says Nazer. "A walk in a park or outdoors is very inspiring visually and will help you gain a sense of achievement. It instantly reduces stress as there is a release of endorphins in your body. Walking is equally beneficial for those who do not get enough ‘me time' when among a large family. It gives a mental focus and a feeling of control over your mind and body."

The right stride

"Keep your shoulder and neck relaxed," says Dr Tayabally. "Your head should be upright and you should be looking forward. Keep your hands relaxed and swing your arms forward and backwards while keeping them close to your body. Walk heel to toe and keep your torso upright."

How humidity affects walking

During summer, walk either in the wee hours of the morning or after sunset when it cools down a bit. Walking in the heat carries with it stress and stroke-related risks. If you are not well-hydrated, heat exhaustion can be fatal. You should know that the higher the heat index, the slower will be your pace.

"The metabolic rate gets duly affected," she adds. The higher the intensity of your exercise, the higher your core body temperature will become while exercising. As a result most fitness professionals suggest shorter runs in hot and humid weather. Drinking fluids, especially water is a must because you have to freely perspire to enjoy the cooling effects of evaporation. Thus, unless unavoidable, avoid training in heat conditions."

New walkers' problems

According to Dr Tayabally, new walkers easily develop shin pain. "It's also a common complaint with walkers wanting to increase their speed or to walk for longer distances," she says. "To avoid this pain, it is of prime importance to find the right shoe with the right fit. Don't over exert yourself and increase your speed and distance very slowly. Always indulge in warm up exercises. For your feet, make circles with your ankle and toe points before and after a walk. It will help stretch your calves and shins. But if the pain in the shin continues, rest your shins by decreasing your mileage as well as the speed. After some time, it should be fine. We usually recommend the RICE method for this as an alternate. It means ‘rest, ice, compression and elevation and it works in most cases."

Dr Tayabally adds, "There are several complaints of new walkers experiencing an itching sensation when walking. The primary cause is poor blood circulation and it usually gets treated on its own with an increase in the walking pattern. An itch can also be caused by excessive dryness in winter. Use of good quality moisturisers, soft detergents and loose clothing can help overcome it. If the itching continues, contact a dermatologist or a physician.

If the shoe pinches

"Wear good, flexible, walking shoes with a low heel and a great fit," says Dr Tayabally.

"Your walking shoes should be replaced once in a quarter or every six months," recommends Nazer. "Once you have walked 300 to 500 miles, replace your shoes. Don't go by their ‘still new' look. The inner support can be worn while they still look as good as new on the outside.

"It would be a better idea to rotate two pair of shoes if you walk every day," says Dr Tayabally. "This way your shoes also get to air-dry between walks. Abstain from wearing your trainers as everyday casual shoes as this adds to their shelf life."

Morning versus evening

Dr Tayabally says, "Morning walk has its own edge. It helps in aligning the day ahead and your body behaves well. In the morning, the oxygen is fresh so you get a headstart. Since you breathe in more oxygen, your blood circulation gets better, your heart pumps faster and you feel alert.

"Evening walks are especially great for those leading a stressful lifestyle," she continues. "It helps in de-stressing and also aids in digestion. You must walk everyday and make sure you don't eat anything at least an hour before the walk."

Dr Nafisa Tayablly can be reached at eqbalht@yahoo.com and Adam Nazer is available at adamdunamis@hotmail.com