Weight Loss Surgery Forums

Walk Your Way To A Healthier Lifestyle

By OH Member Kristine Coman Escoto

?All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking? -Friedrich Nietzsche, German classical scholar, philosopher and critic of culture, 1844-1900.

It is no secret: Walking is good for you. Walking is one of the best ways to raise heart levels without the fear of significant injuries to ligaments or muscles.

Walking requires no special facilities or equipment. A good pair of walking shoes and some comfortable clothes is all that is needed to get started. Best of all, walking is an effective form of exercise that elevates the heart rate, while it tones and shapes muscles. It burns calories, facilitates weight loss and releases endorphins that make you feel great, both while walking and afterward. Before weight loss surgery, many patients are not able to walk without pain and many are not able to walk at all.

"Walking gave me freedom after my weight loss surgery,? said Carla Matthews, a weight loss surgery patient. ?Every time I walked, it gave me more mobility. It was a great low-impact method to lose weight and exercise without pain. Choosing the correct walking shoes was somewhat of an obstacle.?

There are several things to consider when choosing walking shoes. Below are some recommendations from the web site www.thewalkingsite.com:

• When you begin walking, you need to be aware that the quality of the shoes is just as important as the miles you walk. Without appropriate walking shoes, your feet will blister and bleed and possibly create future problems with your joints. 
• It is important that walking shoes provide a thick heel to help slow down the forward momentum in your foot. You also need a flexible sole and more bend in the toe than a runner. It is also important that the shoe is light weight and breathable. 
• And of course, the shoe needs to fit properly. You should have your foot measured even if you have been wearing the same size since you were a teen. The standard test of placing your thumb at the end of your toes to test the distance from toe to tip is a good one to use. Remember to look for a shoe that is wide in the toes. If your heel slips, this is not the shoe for you. 
• They recommend that walkers go shopping for their shoes at the end of the day when their feet might be swollen and to wear the sox they will wear when they go on their walk. Take your time when you are shopping. Walk around the store on a hard surface. 
• After purchasing your ideal pair of walking shoes, wear them around the house before you begin your walk so your feet will have a chance to get comfortable with them. If they are uncomfortable in the house, this may be the time to return them to the store. 
• Shoes need to be replaced every 300-600 miles. If you wear them only during your exercise walks, you will find that the shoes last longer.

Another helpful website is www.walking.about.com which features the top 10 mistakes made by walkers. Here are some of the mistakes they share:

• A common mistake walkers make is that they do not know how to walk properly. Walking properly will not only prevent wasted energy but will help the walker move faster and smoother. Take shorter, quicker steps. If the walker is trying to walk fast he should roll through his step with his back foot. 
• One of the worst injuries a walker can receive is shin pain. This is often caused by the walkers feet hitting the ground with a slap and landing flat footed with each step not getting any roll. Make sure the walker?s arms are counterbalancing the leg motion. 
• A walker should never allow their arms to be still at the side or swinging without a bend. The elbows should be close to the body and the arms should swing mostly back and forward. You should always hold your head up high when you walk. When the walker looks at his feet he is creating poor posture and the potential to miss what is happening around him. 
• A mistake many walkers make is not drinking enough water and becoming dehydrated. As in any sport, you need to drink a glass of water every hour throughout the day to stay hydrated and ten minutes before the activity. People do not realize how important it is to drink a glass or two after the walk as well.

Exercise does not have to be vigorous to be effective. A recent American Heart Association study concluded that people who were not in the best of shape, and who walked at a comfortable pace, increased their heart rate enough to improve health and fitness. These findings offer more proof that even moderate-intensity exercises, such as walking, can improve heart health, even in people at very high risk for heart disease such as obese individuals. It is recommended that whether you are large or small you partake in a minimum of half an hour a day of moderate-intensity physical exercise five or more days out of the week. Walking is one exercise you can do anytime and anywhere. Whether you park farther away from the grocery store or walk your child to school you are working towards your fitness goal. You should not be afraid to jump into walking; it is not as difficult as you imagine. Take it slow and make sure you have the correct equipment. Walking can be a daily, fun part of your life!