Walking is a form of exercise that can be undertaken by almost everyone. It’s a low injury risk, low impact workout that has a low drop-out rate in comparison with other types of exercise. You can slot it into your daily routine as and when it suits you best. You don’t need to find time to squeeze in a trip to the gym – which means that you have no monthly membership fees to pay.
There are plenty of opportunities to incorporate walking into your daily routine. Leaving the car at home and walking to work or the shops is always a popular suggestion. However, if the distances involved make that an impractical idea, then you could take the car as usual and park it in the far corner of the parking lot – which will maximize the distance that you need to walk to get to the entrance. If you travel by bus or subway, then you could get off one or two stops before your destination and complete the last leg of your journey on foot. Taking a short ten or fifteen minute walk during your lunch break is yet another opportunity to incorporate walking into your day.
These very small changes to your normal routine will, if applied on a consistent basis, result in some very substantial health benefits for you. Walking can reduce the risk of stroke and heart problems as well as helping to reduce blood pressure levels. It will help you to sleep better and combat both anxiety and depression. Regular walking will provide you with more energy – you will feel less fatigued throughout the day. It can even help to lower the risk of certain forms of cancer – and recent research suggests that it can help against Alzheimer’s disease. For many people one of the most appealing benefits of walking on a regular basis will be the fact that it can help you to lose weight.
That’s a very lengthy and impressive list of health benefits from an exercise which can be undertaken by most people and which, apart from a comfortable pair of shoes, requires no special equipment. You can get special exercise shoes which raise the effectiveness of your walking workout these days – but a comfy pair that don’t give you blisters is all you need to get started.
One piece of inexpensive equipment which you may find useful – but which isn’t strictly necessary – is a pedometer. These can be worn on your belt or tucked away discreetly in your pocket and will display your results in terms of the number of steps taken, the distance covered or the number of calories burned. You may find it easier to stay motivated and keep walking consistently when you have some data to work with.
An mp3 player might also be worth thinking about if you don’t already have one. Again, it’s not something that’s strictly necessary – but you will probably find that the time and the miles pass more quickly when you’re listening to your favourite music.
It’s almost incredible to think that such small changes in your daily routine can produce such significant health benefits for you. Make walking an integral part of your daily routine. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll feel the benefit.
Boost the effectiveness of your walking workout with Fitflops fitness shoes. They’re specially designed to increase the amount of work your lower body muscles perform whilst walking. Both women’s and men’s Fitflops are available in a wide choice of colors and styles.
