Do you walk the same distance and place most every day? Do you feel like your fitness improvement has stalled? Do you want to prepare for a walking race, relay, or marathon? Time for a schedule with a variety of walking workouts.
This weekly suggested schedule is for every kind of walker. You can mix and match the workouts below. The week should include one day of Economy workouts to build speed, two days of Threshold workouts to build aerobic performance, and one day of long distance. In between each of these workouts should be a rest day or a day of easy walking.
Monday: Rest day. No walking of significant distance or intensity.
Tuesday: Economy Workout. Warm up for 10 minutes at an easy pace. Then walk as fast as you can for 30 seconds or 200 meters (two city blocks in most cities). After 30 seconds, drop down to an easy pace for 2 minutes. Repeat the 30 seconds speed/2 minutes rest 8-12 times. Cool down with a 10 minute easy pace walk.
Wednesday: Recovery. Easy 3 mile walk at 65-70% of your max heart rate. This is a pace at which you can easily maintain a conversation but are breathing harder than at rest.
Thursday: Threshold Workout #1 - Speed. 10 minute warm up at easy walking pace. Walk fast for 8 minutes or 1 kilometer at 85-92% of your max heart rate. Then slow down to an easy pace for 2 minutes. Repeat this for 3-4 repetitions. Cool down for 10 minutes at an easy pace. The threshold pace is strenuous, but one you could maintain throughout a 10 kilometer/6 mile race. You will be breathing very hard and able to speak only in short phrases.
Friday: Recovery. Easy 3 mile walk at 65-70% of your max heart rate.
Saturday: Threshold Workout #2: Steady state or tempo workout. Warm up for 10 minutes at an easy pace. Walk 20-30 minutes at 85% of your max heart rate then cool down with 10 minutes easy pace.
Sunday: Distance Workout. 8-12 kilometers (5-7 miles) at 70-75% of your max heart rate. This is a conversational pace.
The key to these workouts is not to exceed your lactate threshold - working out so hard and long that your body builds up lactic acid in the muscles. This occurs when you workout at 90% or more of your maximum heart rate for more than 50 minutes. By knowing your Maximum Heart Rate and using a heart rate monitor, you can ensure that you are working out at the right pace for the various workouts.
What is the science behind “10,000 Steps A Day
Basically, the American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps a day. It staves off heart disease, improves metabolism, strengthens bones and joints, and is a good benchmark for people who are trying to maintain or improve their overall health. It also decreases stress and fatigue and reduces our risk of injury and serious health problems as we age. And best of all, it’s easy! A lot of people find it overwhelming to think about taking on a new potentially complicated workout program. But the great thing is that nearly everyone can walk! And by simply deciding to increase your daily steps to 10,000 you can begin to make significant improvements in your health, and you may even become inspired to step up your program down the road, or experiment with additional forms of exercise.
How soon will I see benefits from your “10,000 Steps A Day program?
Depending on where you’re starting—look at it as two 3-month segments. For the first segment, Level 1, just add 30 minutes of daily exercise. Walk around the block or take the stairs whenever you can. Swim if that’s what you like to do. The second segment is Level 2, where you need to specifically get yourself up to 10,000 steps a day. This takes most people a couple of months to achieve. We provide a pedometer with the Think and Be Thin program, as they are a great way to track your progress. But you’ve got to move to see benefits. Don’t take the golf cart when you can walk. Stay active! If you have no physical limitations, gradually build up to walking 10,000 steps a day. You will be surprised what such a minimal investment of time
If You Continue to Gain Weight, Add More Steps
If you are already logging 10,000 steps a day and gaining weight or not losing weight, then the key is to add another 2,000 steps per day (and/or eat fewer calories). If that still doesn't work after a couple of weeks, add more steps or eat less. Each 2,000-2,500 steps is about a mile, or 100 calories for a 150-pound person.
How soon will I see benefits from your “10,000 Steps A Day program?
Depending on where you’re starting—look at it as two 3-month segments. For the first segment, Level 1, just add 30 minutes of daily exercise. Walk around the block or take the stairs whenever you can. Swim if that’s what you like to do. The second segment is Level 2, where you need to specifically get yourself up to 10,000 steps a day. This takes most people a couple of months to achieve. We provide a pedometer with the Think and Be Thin program, as they are a great way to track your progress. But you’ve got to move to see benefits. Don’t take the golf cart when you can walk. Stay active! If you have no physical limitations, gradually build up to walking 10,000 steps a day. You will be surprised what such a minimal investment of time
If You Continue to Gain Weight, Add More Steps
If you are already logging 10,000 steps a day and gaining weight or not losing weight, then the key is to add another 2,000 steps per day (and/or eat fewer calories). If that still doesn't work after a couple of weeks, add more steps or eat less. Each 2,000-2,500 steps is about a mile, or 100 calories for a 150-pound person.
Super Bowl Sunday Eat Healthy
The Super Bowl is an inch just waiting to be added to your waistline. But it doesn't have to be.
By the time the final whistle blows at Super Bowl XLII, they say, Americans will have downed 156 billion calories, mostly from greasy pizza, fried chicken wings and beer.
It's easy to mindlessly consume an entire day's worth of calories while glued to the TV for three to four hours of gridiron action and glitzy commercials.
The typical Super Bowl party-goer consumes 1,300 calories through food alone - not including beer, soda and wine. It may be as much as 2,500 calories depending on the person and the party.
That's not to say Super Bowlers should feast on carrots, salads and diet soda.
You can still eat something good and save yourself some calories so you don't have to wake up the next morning and work them off at the gym.
Pick up a Pizza
Super Bowl Sunday is the No. 1 day of the year for take-out pizza. You can still have pizza, but choose the crust and toppings wisely.
Trim 1,000 calories from your order by choosing crunchy, thin-crust pizza and a lower fat topping combination, such as ham and pineapple (also known as Hawaiian).
Two slices of Pizza Hut Thin'n Crispy Pizza with quartered ham and pineapple have 360 calories and 12 grams of fat, for example, while two slices of the restaurant's Supreme Pan pizza (pepperoni, beef, pork, green peppers, red onions and mushrooms) pack 620 calories and 32 grams of fat.
That's a savings of 260 calories and 20 fat grams for the thinner crust pizza with lower-fat toppings.
Just four pieces of pepperoni adds 108 calories per slice. Thin crust can save 60 to 80 calories per slice.
Choose a beer with less than 140 calories; 125 calories is ideal. Guinness draught is like a "beer milkshake: dark, thick and rich," which makes it more satisfying than other beers and could help keep party calories down.
A 12-ounce can of Guinness draught has 126 calories, while a 12-ounce Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has 200 calories. (Be careful not to choose Guinness Extra Stout, though: It has 176 calories and 2% higher alcohol content.)
Michelob Ultra, with 95 calories per 12-ounce bottle, and Beck's Premier Light, with 64 calories per 12-ounce bottle, are the top picks. Worst picks are Sam Adams Cream Stout, with 190 calories per bottle, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with 200 calories.
Eat Chili to Start
Eat a bowl of rich, hearty chili in the first quarter of the game and save hundreds of calories by halftime.
Guests arrive hungry, and nothing facilitates mindless eating better than football and those infamous Super Bowl commercials. Eating a bowl of chili is like having something to eat before going to the supermarket to buy groceries. Your best bet is low-fat turkey chili. It's a protein boost, too.
Wingless Chicken
Save 500 calories while indulging your chicken-wing cravings. If you tend to knock back a dozen wings (which many men do during a big football game), you've just consumed 800 calories, especially if you're a heavy dipper with the blue cheese.
Make your own wings, but use boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders. Toss 'em with your favorite barbecue sauce, skewer and grill or broil them 5 minutes per side. This option removes the fat, the skin and a substantial number of calories.
By the time the final whistle blows at Super Bowl XLII, they say, Americans will have downed 156 billion calories, mostly from greasy pizza, fried chicken wings and beer.
It's easy to mindlessly consume an entire day's worth of calories while glued to the TV for three to four hours of gridiron action and glitzy commercials.
The typical Super Bowl party-goer consumes 1,300 calories through food alone - not including beer, soda and wine. It may be as much as 2,500 calories depending on the person and the party.
That's not to say Super Bowlers should feast on carrots, salads and diet soda.
You can still eat something good and save yourself some calories so you don't have to wake up the next morning and work them off at the gym.
Pick up a Pizza
Super Bowl Sunday is the No. 1 day of the year for take-out pizza. You can still have pizza, but choose the crust and toppings wisely.
Trim 1,000 calories from your order by choosing crunchy, thin-crust pizza and a lower fat topping combination, such as ham and pineapple (also known as Hawaiian).
Two slices of Pizza Hut Thin'n Crispy Pizza with quartered ham and pineapple have 360 calories and 12 grams of fat, for example, while two slices of the restaurant's Supreme Pan pizza (pepperoni, beef, pork, green peppers, red onions and mushrooms) pack 620 calories and 32 grams of fat.
That's a savings of 260 calories and 20 fat grams for the thinner crust pizza with lower-fat toppings.
Just four pieces of pepperoni adds 108 calories per slice. Thin crust can save 60 to 80 calories per slice.
Choose a beer with less than 140 calories; 125 calories is ideal. Guinness draught is like a "beer milkshake: dark, thick and rich," which makes it more satisfying than other beers and could help keep party calories down.
A 12-ounce can of Guinness draught has 126 calories, while a 12-ounce Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has 200 calories. (Be careful not to choose Guinness Extra Stout, though: It has 176 calories and 2% higher alcohol content.)
Michelob Ultra, with 95 calories per 12-ounce bottle, and Beck's Premier Light, with 64 calories per 12-ounce bottle, are the top picks. Worst picks are Sam Adams Cream Stout, with 190 calories per bottle, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with 200 calories.
Eat Chili to Start
Eat a bowl of rich, hearty chili in the first quarter of the game and save hundreds of calories by halftime.
Guests arrive hungry, and nothing facilitates mindless eating better than football and those infamous Super Bowl commercials. Eating a bowl of chili is like having something to eat before going to the supermarket to buy groceries. Your best bet is low-fat turkey chili. It's a protein boost, too.
Wingless Chicken
Save 500 calories while indulging your chicken-wing cravings. If you tend to knock back a dozen wings (which many men do during a big football game), you've just consumed 800 calories, especially if you're a heavy dipper with the blue cheese.
Make your own wings, but use boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders. Toss 'em with your favorite barbecue sauce, skewer and grill or broil them 5 minutes per side. This option removes the fat, the skin and a substantial number of calories.
Make healthy eating choices
Eating well begins with eating a variety of foods each day to get the nutrients you need for good health. Making healthy food choices will help you eat healthier fats, more fibre and less salt and sugar.
Tips to get started
- Follow Canada’s Food Guide.
- Choose processed foods less often.
- Cook and eat at home more. This can help control portion size, as well as the amount of salt and the amount and type of fat you eat.
- Plan menus and make a shopping list. Look at weekly store flyers to take advantage of specials.
- Make healthy choices as often as possible but do allow yourself to have a treat once in a while.
- Include at least 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit each day.
- Be aware of when you eat and why. Listen to your body and eat when you are hungry.
- Slow down and enjoy every bite. It actually takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full.
- Talk to your doctor if you feel you need extra help to change your eating habits. Your doctor can refer you to a registered dietitian in your community.
Small changes to what you eat can make a difference. It's all about balance, moderation and variety.
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