Walking Basics
Top Ten Walking Questions
Provided by Prevention
Here, an expert answers the most frequently asked questions about specific walking-related issues.
Back to Basics
Q: What's the best time of day to walk?
A: It varies from one person to the next. To me, any time of day is perfect. In the summer, I love to walk in the mornings, when it's cool and the sun is up early. In the winter, I usually try to walk on my lunch hour, since that's the warmest part of the day. The fresh air revitalizes me for the afternoon, plus I get a healthy dose of vitamin D from the sun's rays.
The real question is, when are you most willing and able to walk? That's the best time for you.
Q: Should I eat before I walk?
A: Again, it varies from one person to the next. I almost always eat something before I leave on my morning walk. I just feel better. But if I'm planning to go at a brisk pace or to do some interval training, I'll keep my breakfast small and
simple--maybe a piece of fruit, or some low-fat or nonfat yogurt. The human body doesn't particularly like digesting food and exercising hard at the same time.
That said, a leisurely stroll after a large meal may enhance
digestion and burn a few extra calories. But walking before a
meal works just as well, provided you don't have any problems with your blood sugar. If that meal happens to be breakfast, be sure to drink a nice, tall glass of water before you head out. Your body may be somewhat dehydrated after a night's sleep.
*Excerpted from Prevention's Complete Book of Walking by Maggie Spilner (Rodale Inc., hardcover).
Q: What's the simplest way to determine how fast I'm
walking?
A: The easiest way to gauge your speed without wearing a pedometer--or getting in your car and measuring mileage, which can be pretty difficult unless you walk along a street--is to count your number of steps per minute. The experts use this number to calculate pace, based on an average stride length of 2½ feet. (Stride length is the distance from the heel of one foot to the heel of the other foot when you're taking a
step.) They've already done the math for you.
70 steps per minute equals 30 minutes per mile, or 2 miles per hour.
105 steps per minute equals 20 minutes per mile, or 3 miles per hour.
140 steps per minute equals 15 minutes per mile, or 4 miles per hour.
If you pay attention to your steps, after a while you'll be able to estimate your pace fairly accurately without bothering to count. You'll just know what a 20-minute mile or a 15-minute mile feels like.
Q: How many calories do I burn by walking a mile?
A: The average 150-pound person burns between 80 and 100 calories per mile. However, that number changes depending on height, weight, fitness level, terrain, clothing, temperature, and many other factors.
If your goal is to lose weight, forget about the numbers. Instead, develop a healthy eating plan that you can live with, and incorporate as much physical activity into your daily routine as possible, and walk for at least ½ hour a day.
Shoe Savvy
Q: When should I get new shoes?
A: Replace your walking shoes every 6 months or 600 miles, whichever comes first. At that point, it doesn't matter if the shoes still look great; they've lost a lot of their cushioning.
Next: More Expert Answers to Your Walking Questions
