Making walking a habit

 

I take it you’re here because you are interested in hiking or you’re already hiking and feel you can do with a tip or two. However, I thought I should just add some motivation on why you should consider making walking a part of your life, or even a habit. After all, hiking is walking, right? Both hiking and walking involve putting one foot in front of the other, with the difference being the terrain. What turns a walk into a hike is the terrain which can be rugged, having ascents and descents and generally out in the forest and not within a residential area. I will not go into whether walking in a flat forest is a walk or a hike. My advice is for those who will be traversing some rugged terrain, which tends to take one’s breath literally and figuratively, to start by getting into a habit of walking. Many people who went hiking once and swore never to torture themselves like that ever again, did so because they went straight from the couch to a hiking trail. Start walking today; you won’t even need to thank me. You enjoying hitting the trail is all the gratitude I need from you.

 

Why walk?

We have all been told that all forms of exercise or body movement have health benefits. And many of us spend most of our days sitting, either at a work desk or behind the wheel. This sedentary lifestyle is the cause of many of our health problems. Being a rural girl, I always think of how my mother, may her beautiful soul continue to rest in peace, rarely had health issues when we still had fields which were ploughed annually. This because she walked the long distance to the fields, where she continued to exert herself physically. As young kids, we also walked to the fields; we walked a distance to fetch water; we walked to collect wood in the forest, and we walked a hell of a distance to the local secondary school, others to the primary school. There were very few chubby kids when I grew up, at least in my village.

Experts tell us that through making time to walk, we stand a good chance of improving both our mental and physical health. Havard Health credits walking as beneficial for reducing weight, curbing cravings for sweet things and chocolate, reducing the risk of breast cancer, easing joint pain, and boosting immune function. Did they say chocolate cravings? Yes, they did, and since we grab those when we feel down, I guess, since walking or any form of exercise can boost your mood, it then makes sense that you won’t reach for that bar of chocolate or whatever sweet thing you are craving. I know many people who say, ‘I wish I could exercise, but you know I have knee issues.’ Well, there is a condition called osteoarthritis somewhere in my body, but it hasn’t stopped me from exercising and hiking. And I believe that is how that is kept in check. Safe for some minor pain when I must tackle a steep descent or do lunges, most of the time, I forget about that condition.  

How do you start?

Well, I felt silly writing that question because walking is supposed to be natural. How silly is it really to be planning to walk? Anyway, reality is life as it is now keeps us seated most of the time and we therefore should make those plans to get moving. All you need is a pair of proper walking shoes or any pair that you can walk comfortably in. You can just start in the neighbourhood; identify a place that’s safe and invite a friend or two to join you for the camaraderie and for safety. A walking partner can also be an accountability partner, making sure that you stick to the goals you’ve both set.

Some ideas to get you going

•     Start walking in your immediate area; increase the distance and pace as you get comfortable.
•   Commit to few days a week until you can take it out to the bush (more on that in later posts).
•     If there’s a park in your area, that’s a good place to enjoy the scenery while moving that body.
•     If it’s possible to walk to a place, don’t drive – walk!
•     Try to park a tad further from where you’re going so you can walk.
•     Use the stairs, or if you’re going many floors up, get in the habit of walking the last two floors;     do the same when going down.
•      While you may want to increase your speed, if your goal is to hike, you must aim for         distance as hiking trails generally require endurance.

Safety when walking

It would be irresponsible of me to encourage anybody to take up walking without mentioning safety issues. While we cannot always think about what can go wrong, we can’t not plan for our own safety. Safety here includes avoiding injury, but we need to remember that not withstanding its beauty, our country is not the safest of places.

Things to consider for your own safety:

• Warm up your body before walking to avoid injury  – this can be in the form of starting your walk slowly and increasing the pace as your body warms up.
• Make sure the shoes you’re wearing are proper for walking.
• Wear a wide brim hat or cap and apply sunscreen if walking during the day – even when it’s cloudy.
• Aim to walk when there’s still light. If that is not possible, try to walk in well-lit areas.
• If you walk when it’s a bit dark, try to wear something bright and where possible, wear a reflective vest or arm band.
• Where possible, avoid walking alone; there is safety in numbers. 

I hope you are encouraged to make walking a habit as this will enable you to enjoy your hikes. And the hiking business is all about putting one foot in front of another, regardless of whether you are ascending or descending. 

The road may be long. The mountain may be high. All you need is to take that first step! Happy walking!

Td