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Expert Q&A

	By Catherine Cram, M.S. Postpartum Fitness Expert Exercise Physiologist

Can you walk at your own pace, or do you have to "power walk" to get results?

Walking as a form of healthy exercise can be performed in many ways. This means that you can either walk fast or at you usual speed. It depends on your current level of fitness and also how much time you have to devote. According to the Surgeon General, you should aim for "accumulating 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week." You can break this down into three bouts of 10 minutes each especially if you're a beginner or if you don't have 30 minutes straight. The health benefits, by the way, include great reductions in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, brittle bones, overweight/obesity, depression, etc.

For people who are already active, higher levels of fitness can be achieved by longer and/or higher intensity exercise. This more challenging exercise gives you athletic advantages above and beyond the health benefits achieved with the aforementioned moderate recommendation.

The take home message is to view almost any amount of physical activity as GOOD! As our lives become more convenience-based, we just need to look for more opportunities to move our bodies, because activity keeps us healthy and vibrant. Enjoy your walk.

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