Spend at least one hour per week running, walking or doing cardio. Begin with the shortest amount of time that you are able to maintain. Each week, increase your duration by approximately five minutes. For most walks, do intervals. This means that you should do bursts or faster running (depending on how fit you are) which will increase your heart rate. It also helps to work your muscles. Intervals can be done outdoors or on a treadmill. Begin by warming up with five minutes of walking or jogging at your normal pace. Next, alternate between two minutes faster running or walking with two minutes recovery running or walking. On a scale from 1-10 in intensity, your faster pace should feel like an 8. Your easy pace should feel more like a 4 or 5. You can choose to do cardio by cycling, rowing, or other forms of cardio. Just alternate two minutes each of fast-paced and two minutes recovery.
You can also take miniwalks every day in lieu of a daily, formal walk.
These are the steps to add. . .
Below are several ways that you could add some daily walks to your life, depending upon how active and busy you are.
Busy parents with young babies. Naively all children love to ride in a stroller. Your baby will sleep better if the stroller is there. You may find that your stroller is your most peaceful time in the day if your baby is colicky. One mother I know cried every day from 3:00 to midnight, even though her baby was colicky. Her baby would often be in a stroller as she walked the half-mile around her neighbourhood. The screaming stopped every time she got to the end of her driveway. This gave her an entire walk to gather her thoughts before heading home. You can bring more than one child along with you on walks, or take the older one on a walk around the park while the younger one is playing on the equipment.
Daily walks will give you some peace and quiet, as well as help to lower stress and boost your mood. Your baby and you will also benefit from the sunlight. This, according to research, can help them sleep better, especially if they go on a morning walk.
Walking is a great way to burn calories, and you can tone your arms by pushing the stroller uphill.
An infant stroller allows you and your baby to put their head in front of you. As many babies don’t like to be flat on their backs, the infant stroller allows you to place your baby in a car seat facing you. You can also see your baby’s movements better from this position. You can move your baby to a baby jog stroller when he or she is able to sit up.
If your child is older, you might consider putting him/her in a baby carrier that’s either backpack-styled or front-style depending on their age. You will be able to lift more weight, which can make your legs work harder. You will find your baby falling asleep inside the backpack, just like with the stroller.
You can get more steps even if you’re stuck inside during a stormy day. You can take your baby in a stroller or baby carrier, and then you can walk up the stairs in your apartment or home. Take your baby along to the indoor mall for a stroll while you window shop.
Parenting Busy Children One Year and Older I have heard from some parents that their children around the age 1 just “say it,” “no”To the backpack, stroller and bicycle trailer. They don’t like to be enclosed. You should consider carving out some time for yourself if this is the case. “you”You can take a more strenuous, longer walk. Maybe you could share the responsibility of babysitting with another parent. Your friend may be able to have some time alone while you look after the children. He or she will watch them on another day so that you can run or walk.
You might consider starting a walking group for parents of young children. Get together at the nearest park or track. Bring blankets and toys. One or two parents should sit down to watch the children while others run or walk. You can sneak in additional steps by using these ideas:
Chase and other games. Your son or daughter should chase you in the backyard or at home, and vice versa. Active games will become more popular as your children get older. Instead of sitting down and just watching, get involved in tag, baseball and soccer.
Go on a nature hike. Children love to be outdoors. Take your child to a park nearby and let them wander. You’ll not only be giving your child energy but you will also teach them about nature, trees, plants and flowers. Your patience will be improved as you take your child on a few stops to examine leaves and sticks.
Step up and step down. Stairs fascinate most toddlers. Instead of gating your child off all the time, let them climb up and then down as you watch. As your toddler learns a new skill, you can also have some fun.
A wagon is a better option. You might be able to pull your toddler in a wagon if they hate the stroller. You can take your child downtown or to the mall. As needed, let him/her go.
Individuals who spend a lot of time at their desk. My clients often spend more time working, planning for, and getting ready to work than any other activity. They are often working on their laptops or mobile phones even when they aren’t in the office. They often tell me what keeps them active throughout the day. Here’s a list of some of their tips.
Have a rest. Take at least 2 breaks per day. Take a quick walk in the office (or outside if you can) during these 5-10 minutes non-work hours. These 5–10 minute sessions will help you lose a few calories and recharge your physical and mental batteries. You can also take an informal walk break whenever your legs are tired. No matter how much we love it, there are times in the day that our brains shut down for a portion of the day. Walking for a good distance can lift your brownout and make you more alert throughout the day.
A conference walk is a great idea. Take a walk with your colleagues and brainstorm ideas or find solutions. The creative side of movement can be shut down while the critical one is open to it. Are there people you can’t stand to listen to their voices but they interrupt meetings? It will be much less common for them to speak while moving. Everyone will be able to keep on the right track with the help of the walk-and-work sessions.
You don’t need the most important parking spot. You don’t have to be the best to secure the parking space next to your office door. Place your car farthest from the entrance and drive in. A short and easy walk can help you get up each morning to be ready for the day ahead. This mindset applies regardless of where your car is parked. Christine Capulong is one of my customers. “Rather than wasting my time circling a parking lot in search for a space closest to the store, I instead look for the space closest to the entrance of the lot.”Also, she never uses an elevator. Instead, she climbs two stairs at a stretch.
Talk about matters face-to-face. It is not clear when workers started calling or e-mailing each other instead of speaking face-to-face. If you’re in need of something, get up from your desk and place yourself physically in the same spot as your colleague. You’ll be able to track more steps. Additionally, you will communicate more effectively if you use body language as well as tone and voice.
Walk to the restaurant if you are going out for lunch. You can walk from your lunch spot to a nearby restaurant in 10-15 minutes.
People who travel for business. Even though you cannot help but stay in motion during certain parts of your travel experience, there are more chances to get up and move than you realize. These are some of the best ways to sneak in steps.
Avoid using the moving walkways. Keep your bags in luggage lockers at airports or purchase a backpack for carry-on. You will be able to walk comfortably on concourses. You should also invest in good quality travel shoes. Timberland is one of the many companies that makes stylish dress shoes. These shoes have comfortable rubber soles and are ideal for airport navigation. You can take stairs more efficiently if you have the correct shoes and luggage.
Get up in the morning. Take a stroll once you have reached your destination. You can avoid jetlag by taking a walk once you arrive at your destination. If you have been to multiple time zones before, it is a good idea to walk/hike briskly the first day at your destination, particularly if this has happened in multiple times. A morning walk can help you reset your body clock and adjust to the new time zone.
Prepare. Take along one of your most favorite DVDs, or exercise books. If you don’t have a TV in your bedroom (check beforehand), the DVD can be viewed on your computer.
The People who are on Vacation. People who are on Vacation. Although vacations can be a time of backsliding, it is a great time to get some exercise. Every vacation spot will have its own set of activities that you can use to keep fit. You can rent a rowboat or paddleboat if you’re near lakes or rivers. You can also consider snowshoeing or skiing if your destination is in the mountains. You can also try bodysurfing and paddleboarding. Check to see if your vacation rental has a horseshoe pitch and set up a game. You can walk on the beaches. Swim in the hotel’s swimming pool. The following are some options.
Make sure to take walking breaks on road trips. You can stop at every hour or so while you drive to your destination. Let your kids run and play while you are walking. You can also play tag with your children or kick a ball together.
You can take an active cruise. Many large ships have swimming pools, golf simulators and rock walls. You can also burn calories while you swim, snorkel, hike, dive and ride horses on your land and sea excursions. I spent a week on a Turkish cruise and started each morning with push-ups & sit-ups. Then, followed by a vigorous hike, I took to the water for a swim. Breakfast was made more enjoyable and delicious by spending an hour in the Turkish sun.
Take a walk wherever you go. Walking while you see the sights is a great way to get unstructured exercise. Sabina, one of my clients arrived in France just a week prior to her wedding. Every morning, she walked the French countryside. “It helped me to connect with my environment,”She said. You can stroll through the downtown area, visit the local zoo and many other places in your city. Walking the streets is a better way to find the best restaurants in the city than calling the staff at the hotel, using the phonebook, or using a travel guide. Make your reservations and check out the menus. It takes only three hours to walk the streets of our city.
Make it an educational vacation. You can plan your whole vacation around learning to swim, sail, ski, climb, hike or play a specific sport. You can find a variety of vacation packages to keep you busy and satisfy your curiosity. Consider including children in your vacation package. These packages may include the excavation of dinosaur bones, and other anthropological explorations.
Register for an adventure trip. Many companies can help you not only stay fit while on vacation but also help you achieve your best fitness goals. Backroads, a company that organizes adventure travel, offers cycling, kayaking and hiking tours all around the world. Trek Travel organizes bicycle tours through Italy, Provence and Denmark among other places. These companies can offer adventure vacations that are suitable for all levels of fitness and skill.
Copyright © 2006 David Kirsch
Excerpt
The following is an excerpt taken from The Ultimate New York Diet
by David Kirsch
Published by McGraw-Hill; October 2006;$24.95US/$29.95CAN; 0-07-147582-6
Copyright © 2006 David Kirsch