Spring is here!
Get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather while achieving your health goals. Walking does not require you to sign up for a gym membership you may never use. Its is free, modifiable, and can be done anywhere! It allows you to spend time with companions and enjoy the outdoors, while also getting your body moving and creating a happier, healthier YOU.
If you still need some convincing, here are multiple ways walking is beneficial to your health. Walking allows you to:
- Lose Weight – Walking just 30 minutes a day can help you burn calories and lower your weight while also curbing snack cravings
- Strengthen your Heart – Reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke while lowering cholesterol
- Control High Blood Pressure – Moderate intensity walking helps lower your blood pressure as effectively as jogging
- Improve Memory Function & Prevent Dementia – Increasing cerebral blood flow helps prevent brain shrinkage and lowers risk of vascular disease
- Boost your Mood & Gives you Energy – Walking releases endorphins, reduce stress levels, and reduces stress and anxiety
- Reduce Risk of Cancer – Women who walk 7 hours each week are 14% less likely to develop breast cancer and Men who walk briskly for a minimum of 3 hours each week reduce risk for prostate cancer*
- Improve sleep – Quality of sleep is improved because melatonin production is boosted while walking
- Reduce Pain – Arthritis pain can be reduced by walking one hour each day and mobility can be improve
Hopefully, more than one of these reasons catches your eye. With so many great benefits to your health, there really isn’t a reason not to increase your daily step count. So get yourself a pedometer and get your 10,000 steps in each day! Your body will thank you and you will be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals.
*Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention