Fitness: Six Amazing Advantages of Walking

Walking—it’s so easy to do. It doesn’t require any special equipment or skills to do it; just put one foot in front of your other foot, repeat and you’re off and running—er, walking!

Walking is terrific exercise and should be part of your daily fitness program. It’s said that you should walk 10,000 steps per day and a two mile, 30 to 40 minute walk will definitely use up half of those steps. You’ll not only get into shape with walking, but you’ll also reap these six astonishing benefits.

No Need for a Gym Membership

Let’s face it, in this economy there are certain things you probably are cutting back on. You’ve probably decided that you really don’t need that gym membership. Saving money is always good because, in reality, you can walk anywhere. No matter where you reside, you can always find somewhere to walk: a trail, a park or just around your neighborhood. You’ll gain the benefits of maintaining a healthy heart and reducing your stress if you go for a moderate-intensity walk for 30 minutes, five days a week. It’s suggested to buy a pedometer so that you can keep track of your steps; a moderate-intensity walk is the pace of 100 steps each minute and you should aim for walking 3,000 steps in 30 minutes.

Prevents Diabetes

People who have normal sugar levels could still develop a resistance to insulin; this is one of the signs of Type 2 Diabetes. People with a family history of Diabetes who take a brisk, 30 minute walk three to five times a week greatly decrease their risk of getting this disease. They can also increase insulin responsiveness.

Aids You in Defeating Breast Cancer

Roughly 12% of women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some point during their lives which is why walking and staying active is so important. If you walk or are in an exercise program, there’s a 30% expectancy of beating breast cancer if you’re diagnosed with it than those women who don’t exercise at all. If you start a walking routine after it’s been determined that you have breast cancer, there’s a 45% chance of survival over those who are sedentary. Either way, it’s evident that walking can help rid you of breast cancer!

Assists with Decreasing Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that quite often includes fatigue, pain and brain fog and more than 4% of the people in this country have it. Doing light, low-impact exercises and stretching along with walking for 30 minutes three to five times per week will reduce your fatigue and any depression you may have. You’ll also notice a boost in your mental ability and you’ll be able to walk better.

Helps Save Your Mind

Low blood flow to the brain can cause all sorts of problems like dementia. We all need and want a healthy brain and good memory. Walking just 30 minutes, five days a week can decrease your risk of succumbing to dementia by 27% over those who aren’t that active.

Lessens Risk of Stroke

Did you know that someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds? You can help prevent a stroke simply by eating a healthy diet and performing regular exercise. Build a routine of walking quickly for 30 minutes, five days each week and it could considerably reduce your chances of having a stroke by 40%.

It’s abundantly clear that walking is a wonderful way to get some exercise and has many health benefits. So, why not start a walking routine? All you need is a good pair of walking shoes. But, if you’ve never walked for exercise before, it’s best to take it slow at first and work up to 30 minutes—maybe begin with 20 minutes of walking, five days per week to build up your endurance. As you gain endurance you can add more to your time—you may even want to walk more than 30 minutes! Walking is a lot of fun and can be done with friends or with just your music. So get up off that couch, crank up those tunes and let’s get walking towards a healthier body!