Obesity, Overweight, and Simply Walking

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By Jessica Feagin, Intern and UAB Community Health and Human Services Student

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

People who are overweight or obese, compared to those with healthy weight, are at increased risk for many severe diseases and health conditions. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, breathing problems, low quality of life, body pain, and mental illness. Overweight is defined as a body mass index of twenty-five or higher. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. According to the CDC, all states and territories have more than 20% of adults with obesity. The South (36.3%) had the highest prevalence of obesity (“CDC Overweight & Obesity,” 2022).

Physical activity like walking is essential for weight control because it helps burn calories. Adding 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine could burn about 150 more calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you burn. Combining physical activity and cutting calories seems to help with weight loss more than exercise alone (“Walking: Is it enough for weight loss?” 2022).

Besides weight control, regular brisk walking manages and prevents many conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. It also strengthens your muscles/bones, increase energy levels, improves mood, strengthens your immune system, reduces stress, and improves sleep (“Walk your way to fitness,” 2021).

A brisk walk requires purposeful movements and good posture. Ideally while walking, you should:

  • Have your head up
  • Relax your neck, shoulders, and back
  • With a slight bend in elbows,  swing your arms freely
  • Straighten your back and stomach muscles slightly tightened
  • Roll your foot from head to toe, walking smoothly

Before you start your walking routine, it is vital to get the appropriate gear, walk in a safe environment, warm up, and cool down. Walking has many benefits, so grab a partner and simply walk!

References

CDC overweight & obesity. (2022, October 20). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html

Walking: Is it enough for weight loss? (2022, November 30). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/walking/faq-20058345

Walk your way to fitness. (2021, May 19). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261

Strike a Pose – The Health Benefits of Yoga

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Amanda Benko | UAB Intern School of Education – CHHS

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice and popular form of exercise involving physical poses, concentration, and deep breathing. It is a posture-based physical fitness, stress relief, and relaxation technique. Regardless of your yoga expertise and with regular practice, yoga can make you feel better from head to toe. If you’re living with a chronic condition, recovering from surgery, or going through an illness, practicing yoga can be a critical part of your treatment journey and speed up your healing process. Yoga enables you to build strength, awareness, and harmony in both the mind and body (Diamond, 2012). Maintaining a regular yoga practice can provide mental and physical health benefits for all.

There are various physical health benefits you will get when practicing yoga. The relaxation approach used in yoga can reduce chronic pain, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and headaches. It can also lower blood pressure and insomnia symptoms. There are also several other physical benefits associated with yoga, including improved body flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, and maintaining a balanced metabolism (CDC, 2017). It can also improve respiration, vitality, and energy in your body. Yoga can also help reduce body weight and improve cardio and circulatory health. The National Institutes of Health (2020) adds that yoga improves athletic performance and protects you from injury. Besides, yoga helps one develop inner awareness. It can enable you to focus your attention on the body’s abilities at the present moment and boost your fitness.

Besides the physical benefits, yoga is instrumental in building strong mental health. It can help you manage stress. We all know that stress can have devastating impacts on our body and mind. Yoga can be effective in developing coping skills and approaching life more positively. Incorporating breathing and meditation in yoga can help improve one’s overall mental well-being (Pascoe et al., 2021). Practicing yoga regularly enhances mental clarity and calmness; relieves chronic stress patterns; helps relax the mind; enhances mind awareness; sharpens your concentration; and focuses your attention.

At 19, I was involved in a car wreck that herniated two disks in my cervical spine (neck). The following year I was in a four-wheeler wreck that crushed a vertebrae in my lower back. For years I was in chronic pain; the slightest thing hurt my back or neck. Then at 23, a friend introduced me to yoga, but I didn’t start doing it regularly until I was 26. After two weeks of regular practice, I realized I was no longer hurting. Yoga gave me some much-needed relief. So start slow and stay with it; you will be glad you did.

Yoga is fun. Yoga is mentally and physically healthy for you! Do you know of a good Yoga Studio in your area? If so, please share!

References

CDC (September 14, 2017) Yoga Activity Card. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/bam/cards/yoga.html#:~:text=Most%20yoga%20practices%20focus%20on,to%20concentrate%2C%20and%20decreased%20stress.

Diamond, L. (2012). The benefits of yoga in improving health. Primary Health Care, 22(2).

NIH (February 2020) Yoga for Health: What the Science Says. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/yoga-for-health-science

Pascoe, M. C., J de Manincor, M., Hallgren, M., Baldwin, P. A., Tseberja, J., & Parker, A. G. (2021). Psychobiological mechanisms underlying the mental health benefits of yoga-based interventions: A narrative review. Mindfulness, 1-13.