• Login
  • Contact
  • COVID-19
  • Share
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
MedcorMedcorMedcorMedcor
  • About
    • Medcor Health Navigation
    • Leadership
    • Wellness
    • Mission, Vision and Values
  • Services
    • Clinics
    • Telehealth
    • Safety
    • Health Security
  • Resources
    • Health Tips
    • Insights
    • Technology
  • Careers
    • Culture
    • Equal Employment and Diversity

Step Up and Move More

    Home Health Tips Step Up and Move More
    Next Previous
    Step Up and Move More

    Step Up and Move More

    By Ashley Clay, MSPAS, PA-C, Medcor Provider | Comments are Closed | 29 December, 2021 0

    What activity has the potential to reduce your chances of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and cancer1? The answer is simple: MOVING MORE, i.e. a daily brisk walk has been proven to improve your overall health status. In addition to disease prevention, walking is attributed to better mood/sleep/memory, increased bone and muscle strength, and stress reduction. For each hour a person spends walking briskly they have the potential to increase their life expectancy by two hours!2

    Did you know – walking an extra 20-minutes per day will burn an average of 7 pounds of body fat per year3? What is stopping you from stepping up and moving more?

    The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends moderate-intensity activity 2.5 hours per week for most adults.4,5 One way to achieve that goal would be to briskly walk 30-minutes per day five days per week. A few ways to increase your physical activity include:

    • Parking further from doors/entryways
      • Including places such as work, grocery stores, school
    • Schedule lunchtime walks in your work calendar
      • Pack a healthy lunch to further promote healthy lifestyle habits
    • Keep shoes, clothes in your car to eliminate excuses of not having gear when an opportunity to exercise presents itself
    • Join a walking group
      • During colder weather, shopping malls will often offer these programs
    • Take your pet for a walk
    • Use the stairs instead of the elevator
    • Hold walking work meetings
    • Get active as a family
    • Try this quick 10-minute home workout

    More Americans walk for fitness than run2 and experts agree that every step counts. Below are 7 tips from the AHA on how to walk for fitness2.

    • Pace yourself
      • If you are new to working out, start slow and go at a pace that is comfortable to you—you will gradually be able to increase time and distance
    • Form matters
      • Avoid texting and walking – keep your head lifted, engage your abdominal muscles, and relax your shoulders
      • Your stride should be natural while swinging your arms
        • Avoid carrying heavy objects; opt for a backpack instead
      • Breath
        • When walking you should be able to comfortably talk or catch your breath easily – if you’re having difficulties, slow down and focus on breathing
      • Increase your speed
        • After you have warmed up your muscles, pick up the pace
          • If you are just beginning to exercise and walk – forget about speed and focus on the fact you’re moving more
        • Add variety to your routine
          • Consider intervals of brisk walking, walk quickly for one block and a slower pace for two blocks; changing up your routine keeps you interested and motivated
            • Shorten recovery periods
          • Challenge yourself
            • Once you have increased your speed, add hills or stairs to the mix
          • Stretch
            • End your walk by stretching out your hamstrings, calves, chest, shoulders, and back for 15-30 seconds each
          • Track progress
            • Schedule time to walk – this may mean three shorter walks per day or one long walk
              • Your goal should be 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week
              • Download apps or join groups to stay motivated and track progress towards personal or group goals

    This article is for educational purposes and not intended to diagnose or treat any condition or to give medical advice. Always consult your primary care provider for healthcare instructions. External links are provided as references and do not indicate an endorsement by Medcor. External links are subject to other sites’ terms of use and privacy policies.

    References

    [1] Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health
    [2] Why is Walking the Most Popular Form of Exercise?
    [3] 10 Fun Facts About Walking
    [4] American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids
    [5] Fit in Walking Morning, Noon or Night

    Authored by: Ashley Clay

    Share
    AHA, American Heart Association, cancer, diabetes, exercise, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, walking

    Ashley Clay, MSPAS, PA-C, Medcor Provider

    More posts by Ashley Clay, MSPAS, PA-C, Medcor Provider

    Related Post

    • Mindfulness and Meditation for Mental Health

      Mindfulness and Meditation for Mental Health

      By Danielle Olipra

      Mindfulness and meditation are two practices that anyone can use to improve their mood and outlook.

      Share

    • May is Mental Helath Awareness Month

      Mental Health

      By Danielle Olipra

      Remember you’re not alone if you’re struggling to feel your best every day, and keep reading about how to prioritize your mental health.

      Share

    • How to Normalize Mental Health in the Workplace

      How to Normalize Mental Health in the Workplace

      By Sharon Moise, MD, Chief Medical Officer

      May is Mental Health Awareness month and it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past couple of years and how they’ve challenged you because they challenged all of us!

      Share

    • Yoga Do

      Yoga

      By Danielle Olipra

      Improve the health of your body as well as your mind with yoga.

      Share

    • Cold Sores

      Cold Sores

      By Danielle Olipra

      If you have a cold sore, keep your chin up and keep reading for tips!

      Share

    NextPrevious

    Health Tip Updates

    Recent Posts

    • Mindfulness and Meditation for Mental Health
    • Mental Health
    • How to Normalize Mental Health in the Workplace
    • Yoga
    • Cold Sores
    Medcor
    Medcor provides health navigation through integrated services that include onsite and mobile clinics, injury triage, telemedicine, and safety staffing and training. Medcor helps employers and their employees navigate the complexities of healthcare to achieve better physical and financial outcomes across the United States and Canada.

    Recent Health Tips

    • Mindfulness and Meditation for Mental HealthMindfulness and Meditation for Mental Health
      May 25, 2022
    • May is Mental Helath Awareness MonthMental Health
      May 18, 2022
    • How to Normalize Mental Health in the WorkplaceHow to Normalize Mental Health in the Workplace
      May 11, 2022

    Insights

    • Zero ToleranceZero Tolerance: A Failed Paradigm
      February 24, 2022
    • Work-from-Home Ergonomic Considerations for EmployersWork-from-Home Ergonomic Considerations for Employers
      November 9, 2021
    • EXECUTIVE PHYSICIAN CONSULTING SERVICESHealthier Business: Executive Physician Consulting Services
      September 8, 2021

    Contact Us

    HQ Location
    4805 Prime Parkway
    McHenry, IL 60050

    Postal Address
    P.O. Box 550
    McHenry, IL 60051

    Call

    HQ: (815) 363-9500
    Sales: (888) 295-5180
    Media: (815) 759-5442

    Email

    Sales: sales@medcor.com
    Job Inquiry: recruiters@medcor.com
    Media: media@medcor.com
    Website Manager: websupport@medcor.com
    Copyright©2022 Medcor, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices: Copyrights, Trademarks, Patents, Terms of Use & Privacy | English | Spanish. Healthcare Privacy Policy | English | Spanish
    • About
      • Medcor Health Navigation
      • Leadership
      • Wellness
        • Eat Real Food
        • Get Your Sleep
        • Handle Your Hygiene
        • Mind Your Happiness
      • Mission, Vision and Values
    • Services
      • Clinics
      • Telehealth
      • Safety
      • Health Security
    • Resources
      • Health Tips
      • Insights
      • Technology
    • Contact
      • Existing Customer Services
      • General Information
      • Job Inquiries
      • Media & Public Relations
    • Careers
      • Culture
      • Equal Employment and Diversity
      • Interview and Hiring Process FAQs
      • Apply
    • COVID-19
    Medcor