SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
The following are a few tips on how you can start walking toward a more heart-healthy lifestyle:
- Start slowly and build up.
- Set goals—30 minutes or more a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
- Divide the 30 minutes into chunks of 10 or 15 minutes throughout each day.
- Get a walking partner—it’s more fun and you can encourage each other!
- Avoid the elevator at work or escalator at the mall and take the stairs.
- Take the worst parking place in the back of the lot—the extra steps add up!
- Join the free, online Start! Walking Program at americanheart.org/start
Did you know…
- Physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease.
- Walking an extra 20 minutes a day will burn off seven pounds of body fat each year.
- Exercising is a two-for-one deal: For every one hour of vigorous exercise, you will gain two hours of life expectancy!
- Walking programs have the lowest drop-out rate of all exercise programs.
Walking on a regular basis:
- Increases bone density
- Decreases mental stress
- Improves circulation
- Improves self-esteem
Physical activity reduces the risk of:
- Dying prematurely
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Developing diabetes
- Colon cancer
