Walking as Medicine: Exercise Tips from Dr. Sherrie Ballantine

Walking as a part of a regular exercise routine can be as effective as prescribing a drug in some cases, says Sherrie Ballantine-Talmadge, DO, an orthopedic surgeon and family medicine physician at CU Sports Medicine & Performance Center and BCH.

Here are a few of Dr. Ballantine's best tips for getting started:

Choose activities you enjoy. "If your doctor tells you to run but you don't like running, you're not going to do it," says Ballantine. "Find what you like to do." Maybe it's yoga or another kind of exercise class. Maybe it's dancing or playing with your kids. Perhaps it's walking around your neighborhood or a park, like we do every month with Walk with a Doc!

Another personal factor: Do you seek out social interactions, like BCH's monthly Walk with a Doc events, or a group class? Or do you need more solitude in your day. Choose your exercise depending on what you need.

Break exercise into 15-minute intervals. Don't get discouraged because you can't work in an hour of strenuous exercise at once. The main thing is to find ways to move throughout your day.

Celebrate your success daily. And most important, stick to it! We all know who won the race between the tortoise and the hare. Maintaining an exercise routine that's sustainable for you is a key to vibrance and longevity.

BCH's vision - Partnering to create and care for the healthiest community in the nation - means we work har to "walk our talk." Join us by coming out each month for Walk with a Doc. Get the details here.