There are great ways to stay in shape for free like walking, jogging, and running. Dr. Barry Henry is a Louisiana native and has over 15 years of experience as an orthopedic
surgeon. As a former track and field athlete, Dr. Henry knows his way around the track when it comes to walking, jogging, and running. Dr. Barry Henry, MD. says walking is one of the best sports for your body as a whole. He also suggests to walk a 5k(3.2 miles) before you try to jog or run one.
Dr. Henry says if your not ready for running, jogging and walking is a good way to work towards running. The big difference between a walk, a jog, and a run is the pace.
An average stroll varies from 3 mph for women and 3.5 mph for men. If you are jogging, you�??ll reach 4 to 6 miles per hour. If your legs are going 6 miles per hour or faster, this qualifies as a running speed. Dr. Henry says running keeps the cardio respiratory system going and running burns 2.5 times more calories than walking.
If you plan to make running your new hobby, there are some things to consider. Dr. Henry says �??make sure that you are prepared, your feet, your knees, your hips, your back, to be able to withstand the rigors of running.�?� Running injuries can be lower back pains, fractures, strains, and tendonitis to name a few. You can avoid getting hurt by stretching and doing core exercises. Doing a warm up exercise before and a cool down exercise after long jogs or runs are also beneficial.
Dr. Henry says �??if you go on concrete or asphalt one thing you got to remember is there is a lot of pounding with true running and jogging and you�??re setting yourself up for injury if your body is not accustomed to that.�?� Staying hydrated, a healthy diet and rest are crucial for keeping your body safe when exercising.
One of the most important necessities starting from the ground up, are of course shoes. Edie Riedel, manager of The Running Store in Lafayette, has ran everything from marathons to 100 mile ultra marathons. Edie says to replace running shoes after every 350 to 500 miles you put on them. As for which shoes to buy, she suggests �??if you are a casual walker, a couple of miles a week a couple of miles a day. running shoes are the way to go.�?�
Dr. Henry also notes �??try to use running or jogging as a stress relief, not another stress in your life.�?� 2000 steps is equivalent to 1 mile and to burn 1 pound of fat you�??re going to have to burn 3500 calories.
By Brooke Silverang for KLFY News
Click here for full podcast playlist.
