Walk UNH

Walk UNH Fitness and exercise can be fun and exhilarating!
Office of Health Education and Promotion
Health Services
www.unh.edu/health-services
603-832-3823
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Walk UNH
Did you know?
Walking 70 miles is the width of NH
Walking 190 miles is the length of NH
Walking 2,000 steps is walking 1 mile*
Walking 10,000 steps is walking close to 5 miles*
*This is an approximation and may differ based on one’s stride

Why Walk?
Want to exercise
without going to a gym?
Walking is a great form of exercise
that you can do alone, with others,
outside or inside.
Health Services has pedometers that
you may check-out to track
how many steps you take!
There are some studies suggesting that walking 10,000 steps a day is the right ball park to be in to assist with stress management and preventing chronic health problems.

Why Walk?
Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a
higher level of fitness and health. Walking is one of your body's
most natural forms of exercise. It's safe, simple, doesn't
require practice, and the health benefits are many:
Lower LDL (Bad) and raise HDL (Good) cholesterol
Lower blood pressure
Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes
Manage your weight
Improve your mood
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

Guideline: 10,000 Steps a Day
How far is 10,000 steps anyway?
The average person's stride length is approximately 2.5 feet long. That means it takes
just over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps is close to 5 miles. A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day.
A reasonable goal for most people is to increase average daily steps each week by 500 per day until you can easily average 10,000 per day.
There are many ways to increase your daily steps. Use your imagination and
come up with your own list:
Walk the long way to class
Take a walk with a friend
Use the stairs instead of the elevator
Park farther from the store or walk to the store
Get up to change the channel
Window shop
Plan a walking meeting
Continue to track your daily steps and/or mileage; and keep notes on how you feel, how your body is improving, or other changes you are making to improve your health.
Source: www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
Wearing a pedometer is an
easy way to track your steps
each day.
Start by wearing the pedometer every day for
one week. Put it on when you get up in the
morning and wear it until bed time. Record
your daily steps in a log or notebook. By the
end of the week you will know your average
daily steps. You might be surprised how many
(or how few) steps you get in each day.

Pedometers at UNH
Health Services has pedometers that may be checked out by current UNH students, faculty and staff.
Pedometers may be used for 2 weeks at a time to track how many steps you take.
Visit Health Services, Room 249 to learn more and check one out!
You can also call (603) 862-3823 or visit www.unh.edu/health-services
for more information.

3 Helpful Tips
Spend 5 minutes walking slowly to warm-up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm.
After warm-up stretch your muscles.
Calves, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Side
Cool down to reduce stress on heart and muscles.
Walk slowly for 5 minutes and repeat stretches
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Getting Started: Focus on the Basics
Start slow and easy. If you’ve been inactive and tire easily it’s best to start slow. Walk as far as you feel comfortable even if it is only for a few minutes and let that be your starting point. For example, try daily sessions of five to 10 minutes and slowly build up to 15 minutes twice a week. You can then gradually work your time way up to 30 to 60 minutes of walking most days each week!
Use proper technique. Walking is a great exercise because it’s so simple to do. But using the correct posture and movements is essential.
Measure the intensity of your workout. As you walk measure the intensity of your workout by checking your heart rate. Knowing your heart rate allows you to increase the intensity to maximize your workout or slow down to avoid overdoing it.
Stop to check your pulse manually at your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery) to find out if you are exercising within the range of your heart rate. Another option is to wear an electronic device that will display your heart rate.

Set Goals, Track Progress, Stay Motivated and Improve Your Workout!
The good news is that walking-even only a modest amount-provides health benefits! For maximum benefits, work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes a day within your target heart rate zone, most days of the week.
To reach these benefits, it can help to set goals, track progress and take steps to stay healthy and motivated.
Set realistic goals
If your goal is to walk two hours a day 365 days a year, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Set realistic goals, such as 30 minutes five days a week.
No need to do it all at once! Remember, start slowly and gradually work towards your goal.

Track Progress
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk, and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration. Just think how good you’ll feel when you can see how many miles you’ve walked each week, month, or year! Record these numbers in a walking journal.
Stay Motivated
Starting a walking program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. But when you think of the potential health benefits, it’s well worth your effort!
If you don’t like walking alone, invite your spouse, partner, friend or neighbor to join you. You might also join a health club and use a treadmill.

Vary your Routine
Plan several different walking routes but if you’re walking alone, be sure to tell someone which route you are taking.
Walk up and down hills to build strength and stamina. When walking uphill, lean forward slightly-it’s easier on your leg muscles. Walking downhill can be harder on your body, especially the knees, than walking uphill, and may cause muscle soreness, so slow your pace, keep your knees slightly bent, and take shorter steps.
Try a walking stick or poles. A walking stick is helpful for balance. To enhance your upper-body workout, use lightweight, rubber-tipped trekking poles.
Source: Mayo Clinic

Use hand weights, but carefully.They may alter your arm swing and thus lead to muscle soreness or even injury. If you want to use them, start with one-pound weights and increase the weight gradually. The weights shouldn’t add up to more than 10% of your body weight.
Try backward walking for a change of pace. It is demanding, since it’s a novel activity for most people. Be careful when going back-wards outdoors: choose a smooth surface and keep far away from traffic, trees, potholes, and other exercisers. To avoid muscle soreness, start slowly. Don't try to walk backward more than a quarter mile the first week.
http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/fw/fwFit04Walking.html

Improve Your Workout
Wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your steps each day. Start by wearing the pedometer every day for one week. Put it on when you get up in the morning and wear it until bed time. Record your steps in a walking journal.
Make an effort to walk as much as possible.Skip elevators and escalators – take the stairs instead! Leave the car at home if you can walk the mile or two of your destination.
If you want to go faster, instead of taking longer steps, take faster steps. Lengthening your stride can increase strain on your feet and legs.

Swing your arms. One good option: bend them at 90⁰ and pump from the shoulder. Swing them naturally. Move your arms in opposition to your legs-swing your right arm forward as you step forward with your left leg. Keep your wrists straight, your hands unclenched, and elbows close to your sides. This vigorous arm pumping allows for a quicker pace, and provides a good workout of your upper body.
Add some interval training. For example, speed up for a minute or two every five minutes. Or alternate one fast mile with two slower miles.

You’ll be glad you started
Even though the first steps of any journey can be the most difficult, it helps to keep your goals foremost in your mind.
Once you take that first step, you’re on the way to better health!

Walking Log / Journal
Tracking how often, where and how many steps you take can
be a great way to celebrate your progress! Get a free walking
journal/log when you check out a pedometer!

A sample aerobic exercise program for beginners

Walking Meditation
You can use walking meditation to calm and collect yourself to live more mindfully in you your body.
You can extend your walking practice to when you go shopping, whenever you walk down the street, or to and from your car. This practice allows you to enjoy walking for its own sake instead of filling it up with the usual planning and thinking.
Kiper, Barbara. 2009. Field Guide to Happiness for Women

How to Practice Walking Meditation
Begin with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Let your arms and hands rest easily.
Close your eyes for a moment, centering yourself and taking
a few deep breaths.
Feel yourself standing on the earth. Feel the pressure of the
bottoms of your feet on the ground. Feel the sensations
of standing.
Then open your eyes and be present and aware.
Begin to walk slowly. Walk with ease and dignity.
With each step feel all of the sensations involved in lifting
your foot and leg up from the earth.
Be aware as you place each foot back onto the earth.
Relax and let your walking be easy and natural. Be mindful of each step.
Your mind will wander many times, just as it does when you’re sitting.
As soon as you notice this, acknowledge it, and then return to feel the next
step.

Walking Meditation
Whether your mind wanders, simply acknowledge this and come back to being aware of the next step you take. At the midpoint of your walk, pause for a moment. Center yourself and carefully turn around. Pause again so you can be aware of the first step as you walk back. Walk simply, being truly present. At the end of the path, please pause. Try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.

Hydration Guidelines for Walkers
Plain water is the best drink for walks that are an hour or less.
Add salt to your walk when it is going to be longer than an hour, i.e., a sports drink or salty foods such as pretzels can help with water absorption in the body as well as replacement of salt and energy.
Flavor your water to make it taste good so you will want to drink more – add a squirt of lemon and keep it cool.

Hydration Before and During Walking
Before Walking
Drink a tall glass of water (17 oz or 500 ml) 2 hours before your walk, this will allow time for any extra fluid to pass through your body before you hit the trail.
Avoid caffeinated beverages before you walk. Caffeine causes fluid loss and dehydration.
During Walking
Carry water with you or plan for water stops along the route where you will be able to get a full drink of a cup of water every 20 minutes.
A water fountain may not be able to deliver enough water for you to get a full cup.
Guidelines for long distance runners and walkers say to use thirst as a guide and to drink when thirsty.

Hydration After Walking
After your walk, end with another tall drink of water.
Incorporate sports drinks and/or salty foods to replenish salts if taking a long walk or walking in hot or humid condition .

Drink more water when…
1. Sweating more than usual
2. At high altitudes, in heat and low humidity

Clothing
Be sure to select comfortable footwear.
Dress in loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature.
Choose clothes appropriate for the weather.
Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate.
Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.

Visit the Health Services Web site for additional information on moving your body! You can also download the following information:
Trails at UNH
Campus Recreation/Whittemore Center have gathered great information on all the trails on campus. Their site lets you easily download maps and plan routes.
Durham’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of Trails: An Unofficial Guide from The New Hampshire (TNH)
Whether you’re in town for a brief visit or the entire semester, make sure to explore these top-notch sites during your stay. Read on to get the facts, and then head out for the adventure suggested or make your own.
Places to Walk in New Hampshire
State and local trails around New Hampshire.
http://www.unh.edu/health-services/ohep/fitness_walkunh.html

More Resources
www.unh.edu/health-services/ohep/fitness_walkunh.html
www.walknh.org
www.thewalkingsite.com
www.americanheart.org

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Walk UNH

by University of New Hampshire Health Services on Feb 17, 2010

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