Walking is simple, easy and it can be fun. You don't need any expensive equipment to start your walking routine. All you need is a place to walk. You can even add variety to where and when you walk. If you are interested in improving your overall health, start walking. Here are 6 reasons why it is important that you start your new walking routine sooner rather than later.
1. Burn calories
Walking can help you burn calories. Burning calories can help you maintain or lose weight. It is simple, just expend more calories than you take in and you will see more weight loss.
2. Strengthen the heart
Walking at least 30 minutes a day, (more days of the week than not) four - five days a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease. And your risk may reduce even more when you increase how long your walk or how far you walk everyday.
3. Can help lower your blood sugar
Are you diabetic? Exercise helps to maintain overall diabetes control. Taking a short walk after eating may help lower your blood sugar.
4. Eases joint pain
Walking can help protect the joints, including your knees and hips. That’s because it helps strengthen the muscles that support the joints. It's like the more you walk, the less you hurt. There is a fine line between too much and not enough exercise. Walking may also reduce pain caused by arthritis.
5. Boost immune system and energy
Walking may reduce your risk for developing a cold or the flu because it helps to increase your immune system. This makes you less likely to get sick with common and seasonal mostly viral illnesses. Walking also increases oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Those are the hormones that help elevate energy levels.
6. Improve your mood
Walking not only helps with your physical health, it also helps with your mental health. Walking can help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood. It can also increase self-esteem because of the above mentioned benefits and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal and isolation. You should walk at least three times per week for 30 minutes per day to see the benefit.
These are just a few benefits of walking. Start walking today and increase your overall health while decreasing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and death.
Find new ways to make walking fun. Search your community for opportunities to walk such as walking groups or even walk-a-thons such as the Choose YOU! Walk for Life.
which usually support organizations with important causes.