Lifestyle change, Wellbeing

How To Turn Your Love For Walking Into A Cardio Walkout.

A reflection on improving health and wellbeing as a beginner walker.

“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.”- G.M. Trevelyan.

I love walking! It does not matter whether it is in nature or cityscapes. Walking helps me to relax and unclog my mind while getting some valuable exercise in.

Inherently I seem to be a bit lazy and preferred flat ground when walking. I strolled around casually in nature absorbing the stunning, calming, and soothing scenery. I gave steep hills a miss opting for gentler slopes instead.

Consistent daily walking helped me to become more fit and shed a couple of pounds in the process after doing nearly no exercise for a couple of years.

My friends and colleagues noticed the change in my physical appearance and commented on the weight loss. Now that's what I call extrinsic motivation as it flattered me tremendously.

The kind compliments motivated me to reflect on how I could turn my love for walking into a cardiovascular walkout, pardon the pun.

Cardiovascular exercise also referred to as aerobic exercise is any vigorous activity that increases heart rate and respiration. The energetic exercise will raise your heart and breathing rate as your body responds to the need for more energy. Your body’s cells will supply the energy derived from food (glucose) needed to continue your exercise through a process called cellular respiration.

As a science teacher, I am aware of the benefits of cardiovascular exercise. It helps to build endurance, strengthen the cardiovascular system, and aids weight loss keeping the amount of food one consumes in mind.

Remembering the scientific facts mentioned above, I started to wonder how I can increase my walk into a more energetic walk. Running up steps was not on the table because of my fitness level.

The aim was to increase my fitness level and lose more weight in the process. I also decided to be aware of the amount of sugar I take in.

A couple of ideas came to mind to raise my heart and breathing rate while walking.

1. Walk more. Increase walking days from 3 to 5 days a week
2. Choose less flat ground and include more gentle to steeper hills
3. Walk more briskly (speed up) during walking sessions
4. Use arms more effectively when walking briskly (pump arms)
5. Do more interval training when walking by including sections of brisk walking or a combination of walking, brisk walking, and very brisk walking.

Being a sugar addict I love chocolates, cakes, and ice cream. I decided to take charge by controlling the amount of sugar I consume.

As a Type II diabetic on insulin, I knew reducing sugar intake and exercising more will improve my blood sugar levels and general health.

Some ideas came to mind (things I should have done anyway):

1. Eat more fruit, vegetables, and healthy salads
2. Eat more home-cooked meals.
3. Limit chocolates, cakes, and ice cream to a once-a-week treat.
4. Limit the number of takeaway meals I consume.

I sat down to consider all the ideas above about making better food choices and including more energetic exercise when walking. Slowly, a plan of action developed.

I compiled a cardio walkout exercise plan. In the beginning, I was unfit and still carried excess weight although I was walking about 2 Kilometers three times a week. I decided to proceed slowly and cautiously with increasing the intensity and duration of the walkout exercise ideas mentioned above for health reasons.

I planned to follow the beginner plan for 2–4 weeks based on how I cope with the cardio walkout exercises. I aimed to revise the plan when I became fitter and it seems too easy to follow.

“It’s going to be a journey. It’s not a sprint to get in shape.”- Kerri Walsh Jennings

During the first 2 weeks of my cardio walkout plan, I huffed and puffed like a steam train nearly out of fuel walking very briskly, especially on steep hills. After 4 weeks I dropped another 6 kilos and felt very good. I had a rosy tint to my cheeks and my blood sugar levels dropped dramatically.

I decided to adapt my exercise routine by changing the duration of interval training and the distance I’m walking every week. I even added a bit of jogging to the routine after 3 months.

Something I thought I would never be able to do. I can’t jog for long distances due to knee problems from doing too many high-impact sports in my younger years.

Overall the plan worked well as it took a variety of factors and my fitness level into account. If for one or other reason I stop doing regular walkouts for a month or so, I always use the plan above to boost my fitness levels and confidence.

Disclaimer: This story is a reflection based on my own experience(s). I am not a medical or health expert. I have some basic knowledge about fitness and health as a teacher. If you plan to start any vigorous activity proceed cautiously. If you have medical conditions please get medical advice.

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