Introduction
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get the exercise you need to
stay healthy.
Experts recommend at least 2½ hours of
(such as brisk walking, brisk
cycling, or yard work) a week.1 It's fine to walk in
blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week.
Key points
- If you're worried about how brisk walking might affect your health, talk with your doctor before you start a walking program.
- Start with
a short-term goal. For example, walk for 5 or 10 minutes every day. Or increase
your number of steps by 300 to 500 each day.
- After you've made
walking a habit, set a longer-term goal. You may want to set a goal of walking
briskly for at least 30 minutes a day or work up to 10,000 steps a day. You can
try to do this 5 days a week or more.
- You can wear a pedometer to
track your steps each day.
- To stay motivated, find a walking
partner, such as a family member, friend, or coworker. Daily dog walks are also
a great way to keep up your walking routine.
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References
Citations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008).
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP
Publication No. U0036). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Available online:
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf.