Walkin'
August 13, 2013 12:33 PM Subscribe
How long do I have to walk at a brisk pace (say, ~4.25-4.5 mph) to get any sort of physical benefit out of it?
I've taken up walking at night because I've found that after a 45 min walk or so, I feel and sleep better. So the psychic benefits are more than worth it. But how much walking do I have to do to make it good for the body? I know there's some sort of 30 minute threshhold, but I really don't have a grasp on Health or Fitness.
(For now, running is not an option.)
I've taken up walking at night because I've found that after a 45 min walk or so, I feel and sleep better. So the psychic benefits are more than worth it. But how much walking do I have to do to make it good for the body? I know there's some sort of 30 minute threshhold, but I really don't have a grasp on Health or Fitness.
(For now, running is not an option.)
Any is good, but mostly 30 mins or more is optimal.
If you take a dog with you, it's more fun.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:37 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
If you take a dog with you, it's more fun.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:37 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: If you take a dog with you, it's more fun.
I love the little beast but I assure you it is not.
posted by griphus at 12:37 PM on August 13, 2013 [31 favorites]
I love the little beast but I assure you it is not.
posted by griphus at 12:37 PM on August 13, 2013 [31 favorites]
5.5-6 mph
Isn't this more like running? If I go over 3.7 or so I'm running, albeit slowly.
posted by sweetkid at 12:44 PM on August 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
Isn't this more like running? If I go over 3.7 or so I'm running, albeit slowly.
posted by sweetkid at 12:44 PM on August 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
Damn, I'm skittering along at a trot at 4-4.5mph and I have long legs. All my fitness apps seem pleased when I do so for 30 minutes, which is about 2 miles.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:45 PM on August 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 12:45 PM on August 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
Nthing 30 minutes. You could probably do any sort of more-strenuous-than-average activity for 30 minutes, actually.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:46 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by zombieflanders at 12:46 PM on August 13, 2013
I'd say the psychic benefits of the walking are pretty directly linked to the health benefits of it. So walk as long as you need to get yourself sleeping well.
posted by ambrosen at 12:48 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by ambrosen at 12:48 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
30 mins is the baseline, also called the "own a dog" school of exercising.
posted by The Whelk at 12:48 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 12:48 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, 4mph is basically a very brisk walk. 6mph is jogging.
posted by RustyBrooks at 12:49 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by RustyBrooks at 12:49 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
Agreed. I'm a 5'5'' woman (with short legs for my height) but I am definitely running at 6 mph. That's a 10min mile. Maybe you're a fast moving giant. 4.5mph for me is that really irritating speed on a treadmill where it's too fast to walk briskly, but too slow to run so I just look like a confused doofus. Walking is great for you, but I'd reconsider whatever method you're using to all determine your speed.
posted by atomicstone at 1:04 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by atomicstone at 1:04 PM on August 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I used to work for an agency whose main goal was to get people to be more physically active. Based on research, we always used to advocate for 30 minutes of moderate activity (definitely including brisk walking), 5 times a week, as a good target.
posted by Infinite Jest at 1:10 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by Infinite Jest at 1:10 PM on August 13, 2013
Yeah, I'm 5'10" with most of my height in my legs and if I'm walking 4 mph, I am BOOKING it. I'm also curious how you determined how fast you're going. Regardless, 30 minutes/day is what I've heard as well.
posted by anderjen at 1:16 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by anderjen at 1:16 PM on August 13, 2013
Response by poster: Hey wow, okay, I re-did the math and yeah, it looks like 4.25-4.5 mph. I'll ask the mods to change it above.
posted by griphus at 1:16 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by griphus at 1:16 PM on August 13, 2013
Mod note: Question amended accordingly; carry, however briskly, on.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:34 PM on August 13, 2013 [18 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:34 PM on August 13, 2013 [18 favorites]
A growing body of research suggests that simply being outside is good for your physical health. So if you can, walk outside and not on a treadmill.
posted by workerant at 2:15 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by workerant at 2:15 PM on August 13, 2013
When I was looking into exercise for weight loss my doc told me that while 30 min was minimum "Over an hour" was optimal for what I was looking at. I am a small person and I can get going (according to the pedometer) about 4-4.25 mph if I don't have to stop to cross streets. I can maintain this pace on the treadmill pretty easily without getting into a jogging stride. The general rule of thumb is get your heart beating and keep it there for a while, but not too much (like not so fast that you couldn't have a conversation with someone - whatever that rate is). You can get a heart rate monitor if you want to go nuts on this, but there's really no need to. I try to get media that I enjoy to consume while I am doing this which also lets me time my walks pretty well.
posted by jessamyn at 2:34 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by jessamyn at 2:34 PM on August 13, 2013
1)Some research indicates that higher intensity exercise (running at a decent tempo) is protective against specific conditions - f.ex. prostate cancer, and it is the intensity that matters. This would be a morbidity-specific advantage.
2)However, other research indicates that all-cause mortality is lowest in slow jogging (up to 10 miles per hour or so speed), approx. 12-15 miles per week total, 3 times per week, up to 145 minutes minutes a week total jogging (Copenhagen City Heart Study PMID: 23449779). This study is so important, that I think anyone who cares about the exercise/health nexus, should acquaint themselves with it in detail (get the full study!) - there is just so much stuff to chew on, so much *surprising* stuff. Going fast, going long, going too often - all significantly less optimal than the shockingly low (to me!) numbers I outlined above.
3)For a lot of health benefits and morbidity outcomes, walking is just as good as jogging, and for some it may even be better (diabetes). In this comparison, it seems total time and calories expended is what mattered - whether you got there by jogging or by walking didn't matter at all.
4)Many studies show that it is total exercise in a day that matters, not how it's broken up. So, three sessions of ten minutes each is exactly equivalent to one session that's thirty minutes long.
5)For some specific diseases and groups of people, however, it does appear that spacing and timing the exercise might make a difference. Example:
Moderate-Intensity Walking Timed Just Right Might Help Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes
"A fifteen minute walk after each meal appears to help older people regulate blood sugar levels and could reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS). The study, published today in Diabetes Care, found that three short post-meal walks were as effective at reducing blood sugar over 24 hours as a 45-minute walk of the same easy-to-moderate pace. Moreover, post-meal walking was significantly more effective than a sustained walk at lowering blood sugar for up to three hours following the evening meal."
posted by VikingSword at 2:40 PM on August 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
2)However, other research indicates that all-cause mortality is lowest in slow jogging (up to 10 miles per hour or so speed), approx. 12-15 miles per week total, 3 times per week, up to 145 minutes minutes a week total jogging (Copenhagen City Heart Study PMID: 23449779). This study is so important, that I think anyone who cares about the exercise/health nexus, should acquaint themselves with it in detail (get the full study!) - there is just so much stuff to chew on, so much *surprising* stuff. Going fast, going long, going too often - all significantly less optimal than the shockingly low (to me!) numbers I outlined above.
3)For a lot of health benefits and morbidity outcomes, walking is just as good as jogging, and for some it may even be better (diabetes). In this comparison, it seems total time and calories expended is what mattered - whether you got there by jogging or by walking didn't matter at all.
4)Many studies show that it is total exercise in a day that matters, not how it's broken up. So, three sessions of ten minutes each is exactly equivalent to one session that's thirty minutes long.
5)For some specific diseases and groups of people, however, it does appear that spacing and timing the exercise might make a difference. Example:
Moderate-Intensity Walking Timed Just Right Might Help Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes
"A fifteen minute walk after each meal appears to help older people regulate blood sugar levels and could reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS). The study, published today in Diabetes Care, found that three short post-meal walks were as effective at reducing blood sugar over 24 hours as a 45-minute walk of the same easy-to-moderate pace. Moreover, post-meal walking was significantly more effective than a sustained walk at lowering blood sugar for up to three hours following the evening meal."
posted by VikingSword at 2:40 PM on August 13, 2013 [8 favorites]
[ERRATUM: re the Copenhagen study optimal jogging speed should read "up to 10 minute mile speed or so" not as it stands presently "up to 10 miles per hour or so speed"]
posted by VikingSword at 3:02 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by VikingSword at 3:02 PM on August 13, 2013
But how much walking do I have to do to make it good for the body?
Magazines especially and blogs too like to use the construction; The 7 steps to...; 10 minutes to better heart health; 6 ways to a better diet, &c.
But how much walking do I have to do to make it good for the body?
One step.
posted by vapidave at 3:04 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Magazines especially and blogs too like to use the construction; The 7 steps to...; 10 minutes to better heart health; 6 ways to a better diet, &c.
But how much walking do I have to do to make it good for the body?
One step.
posted by vapidave at 3:04 PM on August 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think all activity is good for muscles and benefits your heart. Raising your heartbeat has cardiovascular benefits. There's probably some research about the minimum and maximum increase in heartrate and time spent with heartrate elevated. If you want to increase the benefit, add weight by carrying weights or a backpack. 1 pint of water = 1 pound, so if you don't want to buy weights, carry 2 half or 1 liter bottles of water.
posted by theora55 at 3:10 PM on August 13, 2013
posted by theora55 at 3:10 PM on August 13, 2013
I am a biomedical researcher who works in a hip health/mobility research center that orients itself around community research. Walking briskly would certainly be considered as moderate to vigorous physical activity (more on the moderate side), of which you as an adult from 18-64 are recommended to get 150 minutes of weekly according to the latest Canadian guidelines. For maximal benefit, you want to break that into multiple sessions of more than 10 minutes - my recommendation is 30 minutes per day, so that would be five walks per week of 30 minutes each.
For further health benefits, I would recommend that also strive to reduce the amount of time that you spend sedentary each day (e.g. sitting at the computer desk) - so stuff like taking occasional coffee breaks to pace around, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, etc, can have a significant cumulative effect.
posted by Conspire at 4:05 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
For further health benefits, I would recommend that also strive to reduce the amount of time that you spend sedentary each day (e.g. sitting at the computer desk) - so stuff like taking occasional coffee breaks to pace around, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, etc, can have a significant cumulative effect.
posted by Conspire at 4:05 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
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It's an engaging video.
posted by bilabial at 12:35 PM on August 13, 2013 [3 favorites]