Dear CBC: Walking may be ‘best’ but not everyone can walk for fitness

I love that walking has great health benefits. I hate that it’s described as “best” with no acknowledgement that not everyone can walk for fitness. I can’t right now.

Grrr. I mean I walk Cheddar the dog but I can only manage long walks 3 or 4 days a week.

That’s why I get annoyed when I see headlines like this…If you had to pick one healthy habit for 2021, here’s your best choice…

Of course it’s walking and of course they mean well. After all, everybody can walk. Except we can’t. We can’t all walk for fitness. Some of us can’t walk at all.

I shared the story on our Facebook page with my “grrr” comment attached.

A few readers agreed with my “grrr” and added their own concerns about living in unsafe neighbourhoods or in neighbourhoods without sidewalks. Others complained about snow and ice and I thought about my street pictured above.

Check out the snowy icy sidewalks. My mother wears yaxtrax on the bottoms of her shoes to avoid slipping and falling. I flaunt the rules and walk Cheddar in the middle of the road. But as you can see even in the middle of the road, it’s icy. It’s not exactly “everyone can walk for fitness” friendly.

I get what CBC was trying to do. Amid CrossFit and high intensity interval workouts, walking can seem a little low key. Yet it’s still a good workout and for most people doesn’t require a high degree of fitness to start out.

It’s also great to get outside. I go for short walks in the sunshine even if they’re too short to do much for me fitness wise.

Anyway, if you can, walking is a great way to get some fresh air and some movement in your day. Enjoy! Cheddar does!