How many of you reading this article expect to be able to take a fast walk around the block, let alone a 2 to 3 mile trek at a fast clip — at age 97? This past Sunday, that’s exactly what I found.
My wife and I take an occasional walk on the very nice woodland walking paths available to us where we live in Reston, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. This past Sunday we did our normal two and a half mile walk (35-40 minutes). It really feels good to get out on those paths and walk at a pretty brisk pace.
While we were walking, we ran into some old friends. They were walking the same path at a pretty good clip, maybe not quite as fast as us. I always thought the man was maybe a year or two older than I am, probably in his early eighties. He was in high spirits, was lean and trim and had a strong voice with a pronounced French accent with no outward indication of age. It turns out he is 97 and a half years old. He had a huge grin on his face and was filled with personal energy as he told us his age and how good he felt.
He and his wife, who is in her seventies, attribute their good health and fitness to mostly walking. They do a lot of it. They are very active and travel back and forth to France a couple of times a year.
I also ran into another friend yesterday morning who proudly told me that he had just lost 15 pounds in the last 18 days. He attributed it to a changed diet and a lot of walking. He didn’t talk about the diet, but he did talk about how good he felt and how much he believed the walking had to do with the weight loss. He is a year younger than I am and is pre-diabetic. He is doing the diet and walking as part of a supervised, pre-diabetic program. He said he feels terrific as a result of the walking and the weight loss.
What is it about walking that makes some aging “experts” say that walking is the best of all basic exercises for seniors — not the only one you should do, but the best overall?
Let’s take a look. . .
Walking is a whole body exercise. It builds up your legs and your breathing capacity. It strengthens your heart and lungs and is easy on your knees. It’s sort of an ideal exercise. When you combine it with a few simple resistance exercises, you have an ideal exercise program for overall health and fitness. It is minimal, but it is excellent. Add to that, moving around a lot during the day, and you can’t go wrong.
Not every town has walking paths and trails as nice as we have here in Reston,Virginia. Yet more and more cities and towns are creating environments friendly to walkers, runners and cyclists. My wife and I were passing through Tampa, Florida not all that long ago, and there were people walking, running and cycling all over the place in areas that have been set aside just for that purpose. Other towns and cities are doing the same. It is gratifying to see.
Most places have sidewalks where you can get out and walk. High school tracks are a popular place for walkers after school and school activities hours. There are usually public parks with lots of open space to move around in.
It might be “dumbing down” to the reader to suggest that you wear light clothes in the Summer, and dress warmly and layer your clothes in the Winter. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated Summer and Winter.
So, no matter the time of year, grab the opportunity to take a walk wherever and whenever you can. Your body will love you for it.
Thank you for reading.