Walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise, one of the easiest to begin, and one that offers benefits quickly to people of all ages and levels of fitness. As part of a comprehensive program to improve heart health, walking offers important and well-documented benefits.
These include:
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A lowered resting heart rate, which means the heart is working more efficiently with each beat.
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Reduced blood pressure, which means that the circulation of blood throughout the body is more efficient.
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Improved weight loss and weight maintenance, by burning extra calories. (In fact, walking is approximately equal to jogging in the number of calories burned over equal distances.) Additionally, the increase in total body metabolism continues for up to an hour or more after the walk.
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Reduced blood sugar and cholesterol levels, while increasing the ratio of “good” (HDL) cholesterol to “bad” (LDL) cholesterol.
Below is a sample walking program. You should discuss your plan with your doctor prior to beginning this walking program.
| Week | Warm-Up | Target Zone* | Cool-Down | Total Time |
| |
| Week 1 |
| Session A | Normal walk: 5 min. | Brisk walk: 5 min. | Normal walk: 5 min. | 15 min. |
| Session B | Normal walk: 5 min. | Brisk walk: 5 min. | Normal walk: 5 min. | 15 min. |
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