Anyone who knows me will tell you that walking is my favorite form of exercise. You might ask why walking and not running?
Wouldn’t running be a faster way of working off calories and staying fit? Let me explain why.
I have never been a fan of running – even as a child. Walking gives me a chance to enjoy my surroundings and think.
Walking is easier on the joints than running, but for me it is simply more enjoyable. In order for exercise to become a regular part of your lie it needs to be something you enjoy.
For those of you who like to run by all means do what you enjoy.
Generally, I walk with my dogs. I walk at a brisk pace – about 4 miles per hour. However, the pace is not as important as doing it consistently.
I walk at least 5 days out of 7.
Walking, as any activity, does burn calories – the more intense your walk, the more calories burned. There are other fitness benefits too.
It helps strengthen and tone muscles and bones.
Walking is an excellent low impact cardiovascular activity. It may help lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
It increases blow flow throughout the body. This increased blood flow to your brain also can help clear your head.
Walking often lifts my spirits and helps me think through fresh solutions to challenges in my life.
Another benefit to walking is it does not take any special equipment, other than some comfortable shoes, and anyone at any age can do it.
If you choose to walk on a treadmill, which can be a helpful alternative on rainy or cold days, be sure to pay attention to safety. Falling on or off a treadmill can lead to serious injury.
It can be tempting to push your self harder on the treadmill so remember to not over-exert yourself. That can lead to pulled or strained muscles.
Regular hiking was an activity my family enjoyed as I was growing up. Family activities are a powerful way to introduce positive exercise practices to children.
Working up to a minimum of 30 minutes a day is a good target. If you do not have a 30 minute block of time you can break it up into 10 to 15 minute intervals.
Changing up where you walk can help keep you challenged and engaged in the activity.
Having a partner often makes any exercise more entertaining and can help motivate you to stick to your schedule so invite a friend to walk with you.
The key takeaways here are – schedule a regular time to walk so you will do it consistently, walk in places that you find interesting, and invite a friend or family member to walk with you to keep you accountable.
Share some of your favorite walking locations in the comments below.
