Studies show that walking is GREAT for your health! If you’re not in the best shape (not many of us are!), walking is a great way to improve your overall health and start to get back into shape.
Benefits of walking:
- Walking lowers your blood pressure!
- Walking improves your mental well-being!
- Walking helps increase bone density!
- Walking helps control your weight!
- Walking improves flexibility and muscle tone!
- Walking can help reduce cholesterol!
- Walking can help lower your blood sugar!
- Walking can fit into any lifestyle!
- Walking is good for the whole family!
Believe it or not, a 1996 study by the U.S. Department of Health found that regular participation in a physical activity like walking helps you live longer! Part of the reason walking is so great is that it helps lower the risk of heart disease — fit and active people are about 50% less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than inactive folks. Total inactivity is almost as bad as smoking, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol!
For general good health, the experts suggest about a half hour of walking on most (if not every) days of the week. Getting up and getting in motion helps strengthen your bones and increase your flexibility. And regular walkers are less likely to suffer injuries from a fall because of their stronger bones and supple muscles.
Another benefit of walking (and any regular exercise) is that you’ll sleep better! It makes sense that the body would need to work a little bit before it gets tired. Sitting around all day makes you more weak than truly tired!
If you want to up the ante from general good health to better fitness, make your walking pace a little faster. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to carry on a conversation while you walk — but your pace should be brisk. Aim to walk fast without overexerting yourself. Even ten minutes of walking at a brisk pace (three or more times a week) can help make you more fit!