It’s a Start

You have to start somewhere, right? Let’s start with a walk. There are two ways to start with this, pick a route and distance or pick a period of time to walk. Personally, I prefer to pick a time period and here’s why. I can pick a time and just head out. When I get to the halfway point of my time period I can simply retrace my route and be back where I started when my time is up. If I want to measure progress by speed or other measure, I can simply walk the same route and compare how far I got at the halfway point. Trust me, if you do this three or four times week you’ll notice improvements in distance covered in only a few weeks.
At this stage, don’t worry about special shoes or dress. Just get out and move three or four times a week for at least half an hour. Walk briskly and purposefully, like you were going somewhere. Focus on steady pace and keeping your effort constant for the whole walk. Walk upright and get your arms into a natural swinging rhythm. We’ll get to improving pace and measuring effort in a future post. It really isn’t hard, so don’t worry about getting into something that will be over your head. If you have questions, ask! But get moving and keep moving. At this level it is hard to overdo. If you find yourself unduly fatigued or short of breath, get to your doctor for a checkup.
Come back soon for step two. We’ll take a good look at working on your heart rate and how that sets you up for a good effort regardless of your condition.