The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

WALKING OFF YOUR EXTRA WEIGHT





 

 

Are you looking for easy, inexpensive, and fun exercise as part of your weight loss regimen? Walking outdoors is probably one of the most enjoyable and simple physical activities you can do. In fact, walking is the most popular physical activity in the country among adults.

Not sure if walking will actually help you lose weight? Results from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) prove that it does. In this study, men and women who walked 30 minutes per day, lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight and reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

Not only does walking help people with diabetes lose weight, lower blood pressure and reduce stress, it may also help save money.

According to a study published in Diabetes Care in 1999, people with diabetes spend more than $7 billion annually on medications. In the study, researchers asked adults with diabetes to either walk or bike and do stretching exercises for 50 to 60 minutes a day, four to six days per week, for one month. By the end of the study, 16 percent of the participants taking insulin and 26 percent taking diabetes pills had their treatment switched to diet and exercise therapy alone. For others who still needed to remain on insulin, their total units each day were reduced by 60 percent. In 22 percent of the people who needed to continue taking pills, their doses were reduced or substituted with medicines with milder effects.

Therefore, cutting back or doing away with certain medications due to regular exercise could save you hundreds of dollars, and possibly billions of dollars nationally.

To get started with a walking routine, buy a good pair of walking shoes — which can be purchased at a shoe or sporting goods store for under $100. Check your feet for abrasions and/or blisters every day.

Remember, if you have questions or concerns about diabetes, talk to us at Parkway Pharmacy. As a center of diabetes care, we offer the most comprehensive line of products and information available to help you better manage and “live well” with diabetes.

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