Take a Walk
Step your way to better health-it's easy!
Sally’s last A1C was higher than ever. Her weight was creeping up—so were her blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol. “I just knew I could do more to manage my diabetes,” she said. “The missing piece was exercise. I was not going to join a gym, or do an exercise program at home, but I decided I would take a walk and be more active. I heard about pedometers, so I bought one, slapped it on the waist of my pants, and it’s changed my outlook, my health and my life.”
Think “physical activity” not “exercise”
Many people hate the word “exercise.” (Maybe they had a bad experience in gym class.) It might help to think of it as “physical activity.” There are many ways to be more active. Walking is one of the best, especially for people with diabetes who don’t want to “workout.” It’s the universal activity that’s always available and easy to fit into your schedule. Wearing a pedometer, or step-counter, can motivate you to walk more.
The benefits of walking
For such a simple activity, walking offers huge potential benefits. Here are just a few:
- Weight management. The diabetes epidemic has been associated with a decrease in physical activity and an increase in the number of calories people eat. When you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. A few extra steps can help address this. Research shows that walking 2,000 steps per day can stop people from adding pounds.
- Weight loss. Another study showed middle-aged women who took 10,000 steps per day had a lower body mass index, lower percentage of body fat, lower hip and waist circumference and lower waist-to-hip ratio.
- Prevention or delay of Type 2 diabetes. Exercise in general can help prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes in those who are at risk.
- Heart health. Walking improves heart function and helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Lung health. Walking improves your ability to breathe, and gives you more energy.
- Muscle strength. Walking builds muscle, which can help you burn calories all day by raising your metabolic rate.
- Bone health. Walking is a load-bearing activity, which helps create strong bones and prevent or delay osteoporosis.
- Mental health. Walking improves your mood and helps reduce anxiety and depression.
The right amount for health benefits
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (including walking, bicycling and even yard work) 5 or more days each week. This 30 minutes does not have to be done at one time. You can complete it in 10-minute increments if that works better for you. If you were wearing a pedometer this would translate into about 3,000 steps. Although this is far from the 10,000 steps a day recommended for weight loss, this 3,000 steps is added to your regular daily activity, which then could add up to 10,000 steps, or whatever goal you set for yourself.
Pedometers
A pedometer is a small device you wear clipped to your waist that counts the number of steps you take when you move your feet. Pedometers are worn to make you more aware of how much physical activity you do or do not get. Pedometers sometimes reveal that you aren’t as active as you thought!
Some pedometers are digital, some record calories burned and most are simple to set and use. They can be purchased at your pharmacy, online or in sporting goods departments. You can get a quality, accurate pedometer for $20-$30.
First steps
- Meet with your health care team before increasing your physical activity.
- Wear your pedometer for three to seven days without changing your normal activity to reveal how many steps you normally get. Use the average of these readings for your starting point.
- Set goals for increasing your steps. For example, if you normally walk 3,500 steps per day, increase by increments of 100, 500 or 1000 steps, depending on your fitness level. Then increase again when you feel you are ready. Continue to increase your steps until you find a level that works for you—it may be 10,000 steps, or it may be less. If you’re doing more than you used to do, that’s an improvement!
Remember, small steps help you make big strides in managing your diabetes.
Ways to increase your steps and physical activity
- Get up and get it yourself. Rather than ask someone to get things for you, make the effort yourself.
- Talk on a cordless or cell phone. At home or at work, pace the floor as you are talking.
- Walk the dog. If you don’t have one, get one or take someone else’s dog for a walk.
- Get off the bus one stop earlier. Walk the extra block or two.
- Step in place when waiting in lines at the grocery store, department store or any waiting line. Don’t be shy—you’re doing it for the health effects.
- Find steps throughout the day. Instead of taking the elevator, take the steps. If you can’t walk all of the steps, try walking one flight, then increase over time.
- Walk the escalator. Instead of standing still, save time and gain steps by walking as it moves.
- Step in place while you’re watching TV. Whether for a half hour or just during commercials, move rather than sit.
- Walk to the door to pick someone up. If you’re driving, rather than honk your horn, get out of the car and walk.
- Walk to your family and coworkers. Rather than call or e-mail those you live with or work with, visit them in person.
- Walk for diabetes. Learn more about how you can walk for the cause with The American Diabetes Association’s America’s Walk for Diabetes.
