Walking the Walk

In our crazy scientific 21st century world, with all its latest fads and trends, when we talk about health, wellness and fitness, it is all too easy to forget that walking is the exercise that we are most equipped to do, and with it come major health benefits. But much as it is what we are designed to do, that doesn’t mean we do it correctly.

We must remember that the human body is designed to ensure maximum efficiency and energy usage. This goes back to our more primitive roots as hunter gatherers where we had to work harder for our food, and safety. For this reason, our body is constantly seeking the point where our energy usage is at its most efficient, where we get the maximum practical benefit for the minimum energy usage. This is crucial for survival and proper functioning, as it helps maintain physical conditions within the narrow range required for cells to function optimally.

Contrary to popular belief, running long distances at fast speeds does not create the ideal environment for cardiovascular health and weight control. Walking shorter distances, at slower speeds has been shown, in many studies, to be the ideal way to achieve optimal results. Regularly walking 3-5 kilometres daily, at speeds of between 3 -5 km per hour seems to be the best way to do this. At this level three things happen: body fat is burned most efficiently, resulting in a better fat/ muscle composition; muscle tissue breakdown is minimised and long-term metabolic activity increased; and the heart and lungs are operating at the level most conducive to cardiovascular health. It is also best to walk in a fasting state, not having eaten for 12 hours or more.

It is easy to understand that as a hunter, man’s prey would not be running flat out, but slowly wandering and grazing. Hunting would not require a running chase (in fact this would probably just scare the prey), but to sneak up without causing the prey to run off. Although today we are not having to hunt down our prey, we are still living in the same basic body, and the best health results are to be achieved by working with it and not against it.

There are also numerous benefits to be enjoyed, mentally and emotionally, creatively and spiritually by being outside, enjoying unpressured walking. Exercise does not have to be frenetically all out, maximum effort to provide the results we are looking for, and often this approach works against us rather then for us. It is consistency that will make the difference in the long run, leading to a long, healthy, fully functional life.