Dr. Sam - Humana

Get a "sports check-up"

If you are fit and accustomed to exercise, you may not need to see your doctor before starting to exercise at a moderate level.

Since many doctors are poorly qualified to guide you about exercise, it might be useful to consult an exercise physiologist (PhDs who are based in universities or hospital institutions), sports medicine physician, chiropractor, or osteopath trained in sports medicine.

You can find at least some of these at a hospital-based rehab or exercise program. You can learn from them the skills you need to know in one visit, so your consultation should not be too costly.

But if any of the following apply to you, check with your doctor (or specialist listed above) about any major health issues and identify any exercise restrictions, if you:

Are over age 40 (for a man) or over age 50 (for a woman)

Plan to exercise vigorously

Have a chronic health problem

Are at high risk for heart disease

Live a sedentary lifestyle

Regularly eat a lousy diet

Smoke cigarettes

Have arthritis, heart disease, or high blood pressure

Walk any way you want

Once you are cleared by your doctor and have good shoes, you can get started walking any way you want! If you are a diabetic, even walking downhill can help decrease blood sugar. If you are overweight, walking slowly may help burn more calories.

If it's important to you that walking increase your heart rate, you must know that walking at a casual pace, while it's pleasurable, is not intense enough to meet the government recommendations.

Walk as long and as fast as you want

If you are strapped for time, run for only 30 seconds and then walk for several minutes. Do this four times. While not ideal, if you can't walk for 30 minutes, you might get a cumulative effect if you exercise for ten minutes, three times a day.

However, if you can handle it, the new food pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends moderate or vigorous physical activity for 30 minutes a day, so that's a brisk walk at about 3.5 miles an hour.

Keep it interesting

Try something different on alternate days - such as taking different routes, or walking the dog for 30 minutes one day, or walking around the building during a work break. It's important to be active most days of the week. Make it part of your daily routine.

Bring water

Drink water before leaving and while you are walking, even if you don't feel thirsty. You shouldn't walk, run, or jog without water. Do not count on water fountains (they may be broken) or stores (they may be closed) as sources of water when you need it.

If you are doing long distance and vigorous walking or hiking, you may need a source of carbohydrates for energy or opt for a nice banana or apple.