Walking is a great form of exercise which sadly, considering the numerous benefits that it makes available, is all too frequently overlooked by many people. It’s a form of exercise that’s suitable for almost anyone. There’s no need for any special equipment, training or expertise. There’s no need to make time for a trip to the gym either (and no membership fees) – so you can fit it into your daily routine as and when it suits you best.
Walking has a lower drop out rate than almost all other exercise techniques. It can be carried out up to an age when other exercise methods would, for the majority of people, be considered unsuitable. Due to the fact that it is a low impact workout, it has a very low risk of injury.
Perhaps we have a “no pain, no gain” mentality – but it can be difficult for many to credit that an exercise which is so easy, cheap and readily available can deliver significant benefits. However, the list of benefits is lengthy and they are well proven.
Walking can reduce the probability of strokes and heart problems. It can help to reduce your blood pressure. It can counter depression and anxiety, improve your mental well being and your mood. Walking regularly will give you higher levels of energy – you will be less fatigued throughout the day. It can even lower the risk of contracting certain forms of cancer and recent studies suggest that it can lower the probability of Alzheimer’s. For a lot of people, one of the key attractions of walking will be the fact that it leads to weight loss and a reduction in body fat.
It’s a very impressive list of benefits. You might be forgiven for thinking it was an advert for a new miracle dietary supplement or some new wonder drug – but it isn’t. You can achieve all of these very worthwhile benefits with fairly minimal changes to your daily routine. As little as 30 minutes walking daily will soon produce results that you can see and feel. If you can work up to 10,000 steps on a daily basis – a distance of about 5 miles, which is easier than you may think – you will be astonished at the difference in the way you look and the way you feel.
You will often hear the advice that you should leave the car at home and walk to work, or the shops or school. However, if the distance involved is too great to make that realistic for some people then there are plenty of other opportunities to benefit from walking and many of them will be feasible for you. For example, if you travel by bus or metro, you could get off one or two stops in advance of your destination and walk the remainder of the distance. Use the stairs instead of the elevator every now and again. Take a 15 minute walk during your lunch break. These are all very achievable minor improvements which will gradually produce improvements in your health and fitness levels.
If you haven’t exercised for a while, or if you have a medical condition, then you should definitely talk to your doctor before you embark upon any new fitness program. However, the key to obtaining benefits to your health is consistency. There’s no need to over stress yourself or get all hot and sweaty. Include walking as a regular feature of your daily routine and you will be surprised at just how quickly you will be looking better, feeling better and enjoying life more.
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