The Health Benefits of Going For A Walk

Are you ready? Grab your walking shoes and let’s hit the road. Yes, you guessed it, we’re going for a walk. You might be asking yourself, why Should I go for a walk? What really are the health benefits of going for a walk?

If you think that walking is only for weight loss then think again. There are plenty of reasons why going for a walk is a good idea. The most important thing though is that it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person spends 93 percent of their life indoors. Going for a walk regularly has so many beneficial effects on your entire well-being.

The fact that it’s relaxing, it helps to clear your head is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the positive effects.

With these tips, I hope that you’ll be convinced to hit the road and take a walk every day. And that you’ll also be motivated to come up with a game plan to include walking in your daily routine. I promise you that if you stick with it you will reap all of its many benefits.

Benefits of Walking Outside In The Fresh Air and Sunshine 

No matter what pace you use for walking, one thing for sure it takes you on the outside -except for those days when you use your treadmill.  This lets you breathe in the invigorating fresh air.

You and I both know the air quality on the outside is way better than that in your house.

On those sunny days, your skin will soak up the warm sunlight. This sunlight will help your body produce its dose of Vitamin D3, a very necessary nutrient.

When your body devours the warm sunshine it really does make you feel better. The natural air and sunlight are both critical for your overall quality of life.

Apart from the great air quality, the park gives you beautiful views and also lets you connect with all things nature.

You can try going for a walk in different areas of your neighborhood, or try out different parks. This helps to boost your mood, greatly improves how you function mentally as it helps you to reduce stress.

If the weather doesn’t allow for walking outside, head on out to your local mall and where you can do several rounds of walking. Or dust off your treadmill and test out its performance.  See if it can keep up with you.

Walking Helps You Get To And Maintain A Healthy Weight

When you walk at a fast pace and do so on a regular basis, it will help you to torch those calories. Doing so will let you shed the extra pounds and keep them off. Of course, you also need to clean up and maintain a healthy diet..

If you are consistent with your walking, you will automatically get stronger. You’ll be able to walk for a longer period of time and a greater distance in a shorter time frame.

Improves Your Sense Of Balance And Coordination 

Another great benefit of walking is that when you walk especially over rugged, uneven or difficult terrain you are activating your sense of coordination and balance.

But you can work on your sense of balance even more by moving your head around. Gently turn your head to the right and left as you walk for a count of twenty (20 ).

Then move your head up and down for a count of twenty (20). If you do these simple exercises once or twice as you walk each day you’ll get even more benefit.

Walking Strengthens Your Bones and Muscles

You might not notice at first, but over time walking helps to tone and strengthen your body. If you’re just starting out, this is one of the foundations to start to get into better shape.

As you build up more endurance, you can think about including weight training exercises to your daily walk to help you to get even stronger. It will also help to develop strong muscles.

Whether you use free weights or your bodyweight it doesn’t matter. It’s a great way to slowly ease your way into adding variety to your workout.

Walking Will Boost Your Mood and Fight Depression 

The exercise of walking releases feel-good endorphins which are naturally occurring hormones. These help to lift your mood and make you feel happier and more positive. Experts find that this can even ease depression and anxiety.

This is another great reason to make time for walking. Your fitness level or age is not a problem. If you’re in a sad or nasty mood, slip on your walking shoes. Just 20 minutes a day can make a big difference.

Start taking the first steps, increase your pace and you’ll be surprised at how much your mood has changed. It’s worth a try, you can definitely benefit from this.

Help You Lower Your Blood Pressure

Among its many health benefits walking has the capability to help lower your blood pressure.

The truth is, there are a lot of people that have excess weight and are unhealthy. Some even have a tough time doing exercises.

That leaves them at a risk for developing high blood pressure as well as other diseases.

You might be surprised to know that when you combine a healthy diet with regular walking exercises it’s an effective way to help lower high blood pressure. Giving you a good opportunity to nurse yourself back to good health.

The act of walking itself, especially if you can go for a walk in a beautiful park or walking on the beach is very relaxing.

This can help to lower your blood pressure soon after you’re done walking. That’s a tremendous benefit of walking and something that will help you feel better in no time.

Strengthens your heart 

There are tons of people who are at risk of heart disease. If you’re overweight or just have plain unhealthy eating habits then it’s time to start somewhere. Get a handle on the situation.

Taking a walk is an easy way to start and you don’t need any special equipment. Going for a walk not only works to strengthen your leg muscles. But your heart is strengthened as well because it is also a muscle.

Discuss your fitness plans with your doctor so that both of you can come up with a plan that is suitable and safe for you.

Walking Is The Perfect Low Impact Exercise  

Maybe your doctor has intervened and suggested that you get off your butt and move more. Or maybe you haven’t done any exercise in a while, and want to be proactive and ease your way into exercising.

Whatever the case is, walking is the perfect way to start.  It’s the ideal low impact way to exercise. It’s easy on the heart and the joints of the knees.

Even though walking is a low impact form of exercise it still helps to strengthen and tone your body.

You can do this every day and it’s so easy to do. You can start at any age and your fitness level is not a factor.

If you’re not in the best of shape, then start small and take it slow. You can start by going for a 10 or 20-minute walk in your neighborhood. Or find a good park in your area. Then as you get stronger work your way up from there and go for longer walks.

How To Get Motivation to Walk More

With today’s modern way of life, many of us are glued to our electronic devices.  We are always sitting scrolling through Instagram, checking the latest Facebook posts or just immersing ourselves on the internet in general. Or, just binge-watching our favorite television series.

It serves the body no good to have an inactive lifestyle because it can lead to a ton of health issues. So, this is one of the most important reasons for you to get off the couch, put in the time and go for a brisk walk every day.

Getting the motivation to go for a walk every day or at least four (4) or five (5) days of the week can sometimes be easier said than done.

Yes, it can be challenging sometimes and there are days when you don’t feel like it but it’s exactly what you should be doing on those days.

Keep at it, keep moving and eventually it will become a habit. Then it won’t be so difficult to do but instead, it will become a part of your daily routine.

1. A good place to start in getting motivated is to find a scenic route that you like. You will have beautiful views which make it easier and more enjoyable. Before you know it you’ve walked half an hour or one whole hour.

2. On the flip side, when you take the same path every day it will start to become a routine. It also motivates you when you realize that you can walk that route in a short time span and with less effort. It shows that you are making improvements, getting more fit and gaining strength.

3. You can slip on your headphones and listen to your favorite music audiobooks or podcasts. This is very helpful in that it will make the most of your time and you will have something to look forward to.

So even on days when going for a walk in the last thing you want to do, adding these simple things can be an added way to treat yourself.

4. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home if you don’t want to. You can even walk in place at home in front of your television. It’s that simple. While you’re sitting on the couch watching television, get up during commercial breaks and march in place until your favorite show comes back on.

If you’re a fan of Netflix, set a timer and walk in place for 10 minutes in between episodes. Or, challenge yourself to march in place during the entire duration of the movie. Take breaks when you need to. Believe me, time will fly while you’re having fun watching television and getting your walking exercise in. 

5. Another way to get motivated to walk more is to consider going for walks with a group of people in your area. Talk to your friend(s) or neighbor and get them to come on board with you to be your walking bestie. Walking with your dog is also a great option.

It is definitely more fun when you have someone to talk to on these walks. It’s more difficult to worm your way out of a round of walking when others are counting on you to join them. So in that way you can hold each other accountable.

If all you can do in the beginning is just walk for five or ten minutes every day, then start there. Put on your walking shoes and get moving. Keep at it for a week and then try to up your time to 15 minutes. 

If you can go for a thirty (30) minute walk, then by all means, start with that. Pick up the pace and after a week or two, try to take it to forty-five (45) minute walks.

Hopefully, this video by Tippy Tales will also help you to see the many benefits of going for a walk. That it will motivate you to make walking a daily habit and an essential part of your health, your fitness, and your life.

Conclusion

The important thing is that you get out there, move around, and get some walking in. Be gentle with yourself start small and then gradually up your game. Just give it a try and you’ll see that you start to feel better, happier, and stronger after a few weeks of regular walks. 

Did you go for your walk today? Do it!

Disclaimer : The information provided through this Website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by your Medical Provider or Mental health Provider.  I am not a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, therapist or licensed nutritionist. Always seek the advice of your Medical Provider or Mental Health Professional with any questions or concerns you may have about your health, medications, herbs or supplements you are currently using before implementing any recommendations or suggestions from our website.