19. NO NEED TO CRAVE FOR SUGARS
Walking makes you feel less stressed. When we’re stressed, we turn to junk food or sweets to get the sugar rush and release some of the negative energy we gathered.
But binge eating is not healthy, whereas walking or jogging will prevent the need to crave sugars – to keep us fit, and release some of the stress.
18. BURN CALORIES
When you walk, you burn calories and get rid of the extra fat. A brisk 30-minute walk at 4 miles/hour will help you lose 200 calories?
The body will burn the fat to spend it on the energy you use while walking, and the more intense the pace is, the more calories we shed. No matter how slow or fast we walk, it's better than sitting on the couch!
17. STRONGER BONES
After reaching the age of 30, our bones mass begins to weaken. An active lifestyle stimulates the formation of bone cells and allows our bones to remain strong and healthy.
In comparison to an active lifestyle, being sedentary leads to bones thinning and leading to osteoporosis. But hey, did you know that walking is also good for eyesight? Check out the next interesting fact!
16. BETTER VISION
People that go for a walk at least three times a week are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. The eye disease smudges out central vision.
It also has to do with the brain health that is also positively affected by an active lifestyle. Here’s more about brain health…
15. LESS STRESS
Did you know that walking aids the brain in staying healthy and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia? We had no idea that it’s so important!
It’s also releasing more endorphins and reduces stress levels. And if you’re not convinced that walking should be part of your routine, check out the next facts.
14. FIRM JOINTS
A session of 30 minutes of walk every day will relieve pain or the feeling of stiffness. It will make your joints and bones stronger.
According to The Arthritis Foundation, walking makes you healthier and feel comfortable in your own body. You will also gain some lean muscles – here’s a tip for how to achieve that goal.
13. LEAN MUSCLES
When you lose fat, your body’s muscles appear more prominent and they’re leaner. Studies have shown that you can achieve that by taking 10,000 steps a day.
However, it all depends on the pace you’re going at, or if you go uphill. You can monitor your activity, time, steps, distance and calorie count with these interesting tips at #4.
12. LOWER RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Alzheimer’s disease risk decreases if a person walks at least six miles a week, shows a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study.
It seems that this much activity will protect brain size and help preserve memory – especially when we walk on familiar paths, to strengthen the memory circuits.
11. NORMAL BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
A regular stroll per day keeps you from diabetes. It will combat all the factors that lead to this disease: tension, blood pressure, obesity, retention of calories, and lowering blood sugar levels.
On top of that, walking also keeps your heart and arteries healthy and it increasing the immune system.
10. A STRONGER HEART
Going for a walk keeps all muscles healthy, including the heart. Use that muscle more and it gets stronger. As you keep on walking, the heart pumps more blood with each heartbeat.
Your body will also get used to an increased activity and you can endure a higher paced activity. Talking about the heart, let's see the arteries.
9. BETTER BLOOD CIRCULATION
Atherosclerosis and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) are life-threatening, but the risk of getting these diseases is reduced by having an active lifestyle.
A walk will help the blood get oxygen to the muscles and use them to work efficiently – thus helping you lose weight too! This will make blood flow better through the entire body. Plus, it makes you happy – and here’s why…
8. HAPPY MOOD
Walking impacts our mood, as it releases endorphins, the natural anti-depressants that make us feel relaxed and even relieves pain.
So, instead of taking the car to the city to meet your friends, or commute to work through terrible traffic, go for a walk. Incorporate walking in your routine and you’ll see you will feel happier.
7. BEST NIGHT SLEEP EVER
If you're having trouble sleeping, take a walk an hour before going to bed. It will boost melatonin and help you sleep better at night.
The National Sleep Foundation also shows that the body temperature rises when we walk and falls back after we finish walking. The drop of temperature makes us feel sleepy, so it's a win-win situation!
6. LARGER LUNGS
After so many benefits to the heart, brain, muscles, joints, bones, arteries and so on, lungs also benefit from sessions of walking.
When we walk, we help lungs get more oxygen through the body, thus making our lungs function better and prevent lung disease.
5. FIT WALKING IN YOUR SCHEDULE
A quick walk every day will be the best decision you’ve ever taken so far. But it doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite things. You can squeeze it into your daily routine very easily.
For example, you can walk in the morning as a great way to wake up. You can even turn office meetings into a walking meeting and make them less tedious!
4. UNWIND AND RELAX
Relax and let the gadgets do the counting for you. Take your phone with you or a fitness bracelet and walk as much as you want.
At the end of the session, the gadgets will track your activity and tell you how much activity you’ve done so far.
3. WALK THE DOG
Fitness trainer Kris Goldman recommends we walk around the house, walk a local track or a trail to “get some blood flowing and muscles moving.”
And if you have a dog, your one or two-hour walk with them is the perfect way to stay active and bond with the pooch!
2. TURN FITNESS INTO A HABIT
Being fit is something you should strive for in old age. So, don't become the granny or grandpa that needs about 5 minutes just to get off that chair.
Stay fit and carry the habit into your old age to be able to walk your dog or play with your grandchildren!
1. MENTAL BALANCE
Finally, think of walking as your life coach – it not only is healthy for the body, but it also promotes mental health.
It fights off depression and anxiety and it calms you through the day. Jog, walk, listen to some music and unwind. You’ll thank yourself for that!