When you consider the benefits of walking as a form of exercise, they’re almost too good to be true. Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, lower blood pressure, increased lung capacity, reduced risk of depression and even a reduced probability of certain types of cancer. Add in weight loss, increased energy, and generally feeling better and the list of benefits is truly amazing.
Considering the fact that walking can be slotted into your daily schedule whenever it suits you, and the fact that you don’t need to pay any gym membership fees, and you might start to wonder why more people don’t include walking as a key part of their exercise activity. Another point worth remembering is that all you need to get started is a decent pair of comfortable shoes – there’s no need for any special equipment, expertise or training.
One possible reason why more people don’t make walking a central part of their exercise program could be that they are simply unaware of the benefits achievable. There remains a “go for the burn”, “no pain no gain” culture – originally fostered years ago – that may make it difficult for people to believe that something as mundane as walking could deliver such astonishing results.
The evidence is clear and unambiguous. Walking has the potential to provide many health benefits. Consistency is the critical thing here – low impact exercise taken on a regular basis should be the target. Ideally, it should become a normal part of your day to day routine.
And there is no shortage of opportunities to do this. Maybe you could leave the car in the garage and walk to the office? Use the stairs instead of the elevator every second time. At lunchtime, go for a short 10 or 15 minute walk around the block. Small changes can have a huge positive impact if carried out routinely.
It’s not out of the question that the fact that so little effort is required could be part of the problem. For some people, the idea of getting so many benefits for so little effort may be, quite literally, incredible. If you find yourself taking this viewpoint then the use of a pedometer to monitor your progress might be something that could help to convince you. Track your effort and results by counting the number of steps you take each day – or convert this into calories burned or distance covered – whatever is most meaningful and interesting for you.
It should soon become obvious that small changes to your daily routine – walking instead of taking the car from time to time – can have a major impact on your fitness and health. Raising the visibility of your walking workout benefits may well be all the encouragement that is necessary to ensure that you exercise daily and reap the rewards available to you in terms of health, fitness and general well being.
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