When we’re younger, exercise feels easier… energy levels are high, we have fewer demands on our time and not as many aches and pains to deal with. Recovery is also faster – muscular strains that heal quickly in our 20s will take a lot longer once we hit 60. Frankly, high-impact cardio becomes a lot less appealing. But there is one exercise that comes highly recommended as we age – and that’s walking.
Alison Steadman has embraced this low-impact, high-gain way to get fit in her 70s. ‘I just try to walk as much as possible, whether it’s going to the shops or in and around my local woods,’ she said in a recent interview. ‘I did Pilates online during lockdown; I had the mat and ball and everything, but as soon as you get back to work it’s hard to find the time, so walking it is. I keep telling myself I should do more exercise, but I don’t want to do anything intense like running.’
The much-loved Gavin & Stacey star is on to something, says Good Housekeeping’s fitness expert, Kim Hawley. ‘Walking lowers your blood pressure. It improves your heart health. It reduces risk of stroke, it decreases your risk of cognitive decline, it reduces anxiety, it improves your mood. Thirty minutes a day, that’s all you need. Thirty minutes of brisk walking makes a huge difference to your health.’
Just getting in those steps makes a big difference to health. But if you want to turbo-charge the benefits, Kim recommends trying the Japanese walking method… ‘Three minutes of fast walking, then three at a moderate pace. Repeat that for 30 minutes.’
Alison doesn’t just have her eye on physical fitness – she also takes her diet seriously. ‘I eat a lot of fresh fish and vegetables,’ she says. ‘We try to have three to four veggies with our meals; I don’t eat a lot of carbs or potatoes so we tend to go big on veg.’ But there’s still room for fun, which comes in the shape of a margarita cocktail. ‘It’s my favourite cocktail and I’ve got a shaker and all the ingredients,’ she says. ‘I really enjoy that, so it’s my Friday night treat!’