Incredible medicine for aging well: Walking!

You said it all. I try and walk 5 miles a day. I will admit I am 70 years old and walking is what keeps me going. I am slow going but I do it. It is like it gets in your blood and you want to keep going. Thanks for your encouragement.

Great advice! Any suggestions on what pace? Also what about for beginners or those who aren't in shape.. Im 52 and I have been trying to walk 30 minutes every day for about 6 months now. It's tougher to do in colder weather but I notice when I miss a day or two it's hard to get back started again. I am trying to build my endurance to do longer walks. If I go three days in a row for 40 minutes, my feet start having issues and I am already wearing typically great walking shoes. I wear Hokas or Brooks specifically for those with extensor tendinitis or planters fasciitis. Do you think two walks of 30 min each per day could reap same benefits? It's tough for me to carve out a solid hour at a time during the day consistently. I work and I have kids that need me. I have more time in the evening but by them I am exhausted from the day and have trouble wanting to walk at all much less for an hour. You mention you've been doing this for years, did you start at this level or was it something you had to build up to. In any case, good for you to do it as I also truly believe it equates to longevity and good health like nothing else can! Wishing you good health!

Last year I joined the Hoka craze on the advice of cardiac nurses. I wore them for over a year and they were great, but they started to break down. I had always worn sketchers before. I had seen the Slip-lns on TV and wanted to try them. I bought two pairs s couple of weeks ago and so far they have been great. When the weather improves my dog and l will put them good use.

I smoked for about 7 years then when I quit I started walking. This was in my 20's and as I remember it didn't take long, maybe a couple of months, for me to do an hour at about 20 minutes a mile. Now I'm fairly quick at about 17 minutes a mile? When I started, and for years after, I wore my old casual Reebok shoes until they were literally falling apart without any issue then!

I find that 1 solid hour gives me more relaxation than 2 half hour walks at different times of the day but I believe that the health benefits would be about the same. I take rest days myself and these often do wonders. The next day the walk feels amazing and my legs fresh. Taking a day off though is usually difficult though because I use walking as the cornerstone to my life!

Let me tell you, walking led me to a lifestyle that is total pure enjoyment of life that I never knew existed. Everything combined where I was able to concentrate and extract pure enjoyment out of life. I know that may sound unbelievable but it's true! Without walking it would not have happened. Right now however I moved to a city to be near a sick relative and my surroundings are currently very dangerous. I still walk almost everyday but I don't have that amazing total lifestyle that I used to have (like no safe walks by the sea!). These dangerous surroundings will however be changing sooner than later.

Good luck and I hope you really feel the benefits, and more, like I have for so many years.

Thanks for your insight. I will keep trying to build on lengthening my daily walks and building endurance. It feels slow however as I have been doing 30 minutes at about 3.00 mph pace (20 min mile) for at least 3 months or so and don't really feel like its getting easier. I appreciate your reply and you stay safe out there!

I have found that I needed to increase the time I walk for my body to adapt. There needs to be a little resistance. Like I was doing 40 minutes but pushed it to 45 minutes for a couple of weeks. Then some rest days then I was at a higher level of fitness and 45 minutes was as easy as 40 minutes. Don't go crazy. Even 20 minutes most days is great regardless and you get the "training effect"!

I went walking today. Wow! It felt great. I thought about doing 1.5 hours walks this weekend!

Some good things for me:
1) My vertigo has now fully abated. (Positional therapy helps, but ultimately the bad little ear crystal dissolves and the vertigo doesn't recur.)
2) The weather has changed, now just comfortably cool and not too wet.
3) I bought some new shoes.
So now I'm extending my walks, am walking more hilly wood paths and will soon join a neighbor who knows about trails I've not found.
It feels really good to not be struggling with uncertain gait and terrain challenges.
And it feels really good to be looking forward to walks as joyful adventures.

Terrific! I just got back from an hour walk and it felt and feels so good! I have a nice relax night ahead - but I dare not go out because there may be potentially violent men in front of my building entrance! This is all changing soon. Thank goodness!

I have treadmill and recumbent bike! Best ever to be able to exercise and not to blame going out in the weather. I live in the country and roads are messy sometimes- also deer/ skunks/ misc. animals besides harvest time traffic make it unsafe! I love interval training on treadmill. Goes from 2.0- 4.0 in intervals. I can do for an hour! 63 and still keeping up. Make me feel positive at 63. The bike I do various activity choices! Love it. I also have a massage chair to encourage workouts first— then rewards!!!