Lifestyle
Striding past the streets of Uttara
Navid Khan and Salman Khan are two teenage boys who daily go for walking and jogging in the Friends Club field of Sector 3 in Uttara. “We organised a marathon race with the help of our school, Scholastica last April. To enhance our stamina, we started regular walking and jogging two months before the main event. After covering 1 km by walking, we used to jog throughout a total distance of 3km, followed by a half kilo meter sprint.”, says Navid. He also says that another marathon race is going to take place in November, at Cox's Bazar, which inspires them to continue this. Salman says, “It's really energizing. Also, the Friends Club field is filled with 'boroi' trees; we usually stop for a while to pick the fruit and eat them.”
Uttara has undergone an exponential growth in the last few years. Over the years it has attracted many to make it their homes. Schools, hospitals, malls, restaurants, boutiques and grocery shops have also cropped up all over Uttara, though not in an organised way. The town has witnessed its streets getting filled with the hubbub of vehicles and noisier with its increasing population. Uttara was known as a suburban area before, but now, it is rising to grow up as an urban city within itself.
Many residents of Uttara are seen every day, marching through the various parks, fields, or even along the narrow footpaths near their respective houses. Some can be seen panting as they walk alone, while others enjoy themselves in groups of three or more, as they tread on the pathways breathing in the fresh air, bathing in the rays of the early morning sun. On the other hand the evening walkers are also seen to pace through the dark paths that border the fields or the streets, creating a ghostly scene as their shoes with fluorescent streaks bob up and down.
Nasima Akhter, who lives in Sector 1 is a regular walker. She takes her two sons out in the evenings to play football almost every day to the Sector 3 and the Sector 4 fields. They play as she walks and her spouse, Mazbah Uddin Bhuiyan also tags along sometimes. Nasima says that she finds it very pleasing in the mornings to walk in the roadsides of Sector 1 or alongside the fields of Sectors 3 and 4.
"Walking really helps me to control my weight and stay fit", says Nasima. "After coming home I feel incredibly active, and my blood pressure and cholesterol have significantly been reduced to a much more stable level than before."
Safety, however, is an obstacle that keeps many away from this pleasurable activity. Bhuiyan says that sometimes the cars run at full speed when people walk during the evenings on the footpaths, so while crossing roads care needs to be taken, and sometimes cars parked tend to block the walkers' ways on the footpaths.
There are certainly a lot of other places to go to for a regular healthy exercise. Located around the lake between Sectors 5 and 7, the Lake Drive road is surrounded by pretty gardens and trees. In Sector 1, no parks or fields are present, so people normally stride through the narrow streets, early at about 6 am in the morning, and also in the evenings. The straight pitched road makes it a suitable spot for regular walking. The surrounding is quite tranquil and cool during both summers and winters. The other sectors have a public field, where children play cricket and football. In some areas, such as outside the field of Sector 3, arrangements are made so that people can get their blood sugar levels tested. These are privately owned stalls and many are seen seeking this service provided.
The greenery in sector 4 attracts many walkers and strollers. In the parks in sector 7, 11, 12 and 13, for example, many young mothers take their little children to play while getting a little bit of exercise themselves. Teenagers too, can be seen going on an afternoon walk. Many food stalls line the walking path which is an added attraction or distraction for some.
Women have taken up walking on a regular basis in the Friends Club field of Sector 3 in Uttara. Photo: Prabir Das
Rakib Morshed is an A level student who lives in Sector 6. He goes for running, jogging and walking to stay fit, enhance his stamina and sometimes also to hang out with his friends. He says, “I go to the Friends Club field sometimes, otherwise sectors 1, 4 and 6 are good places for walking too.” So what are the other reasons that drive him to exercise? "For quicker reflexes, plus I just like to walk."
There are many reasons why people take up walking. A regular brisk walk can help you trim down your waistline. It's true, and it seems truer when you want that brand new outfit to fit you, so it motivates you to start walking, soon. The doctor who tells you to walk regularly would be surprised to see the regulated blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure rates and the heart rates after weeks as you take the initiative to walk every day. The perks of walking also include improved and balanced coordination; bones are also strengthened making you more fit. Walking can lift up your mood too. So if you live in Uttara, but are not a regular walker, you might as well start today and start walking amidst the greenery that the town has to offer.
P. Chowdhury, is in his late 70s, who lives in Sector 1and works in a British firm in Bangladesh. He was a regular walker before. In the mornings, he used to start from his house, walked to reach Sector 3 and came back. He also describes his experience of buying fresh vegetables from Jashimuddin Market, which falls between the two sectors. “I used to walk before to stay fit. But because I need to go out of my residence, say about at 7.30 in the morning, to my office, it became difficult for me to go for walks. After coming back, I get too exhausted to even go for evening walks. So I bought a treadmill at home. I miss going outside for walks but I'm helpless”, he says.
Walking regularly is a part of a disciplined lifestyle. It leads you to a healthier and a happier life. Start from today and it will bring all kinds of benefits to you, leaving you merrier and more cheerful than ever. As you start, you should soon start getting the knack of it, because remember, the farther, the quicker, the better.
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BENEFITS
Walking helps you stay fit, tones down your muscles and increases muscular endurance. It slims you down as it burns up your body fat, and without any change in diet the average person can lose 18 pounds in a year just by walking. Walking reduces hypertension and blood pressure levels, improves circulation and reduces the risk of coronary heart diseases by half. As you continue to walk regularly, your breathing and blood systems become more efficient, which not only increases your ability to exercise longer, but also enables you to perform everyday tasks without tiring. You will gain muscular strength with walking but probably not enough for well rounded fitness. Muscles that get an extra workout in walking include the entire back of the leg, calves, hamstrings, and gluteus. You will use muscles in the back of shoulders when you swing your arms. Walking provides other physical benefits and prevents dangers associated with other types of exercise. Walking is a low-impact exercise, which puts less strain on bones and tissues.
Cholesterol is present in both the blood stream as well as all of the body's tissues. Lipoproteins are molecules that transport cholesterol in the blood. There are two types of lipoproteins - High density (HDLs) and Low density (LDLs). HDLs are sometimes called "good" and LDLs "bad" cholesterol. The higher your HDL level the lower the risk of heart disease. Apart from your daily food intakes, stress can also affect cholesterol levels. Regular walking can increase the levels of "good" cholesterol in the blood, reducing chances of a heart attack. So try to avoid stress - and relax. Go for a walk.
Walking also helps to combat conditions like osteoporosis in which bones become brittle and porous as they age. It's the safest form of exercise for people of all ages.
At last, when you feel fit your self confidence automatically boosts. Time spent on walking means taking off time from the stresses of daily life. Walking induces the production of endorphins in the brain which gives you a feeling of well-being, this feeling of ease increases your self confidence.
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