We’ve all heard about the 10,000 steps a day thanks to wearable tech such as FitBit as well as knowledge that it is a suitable exercise for all regardless of age and size thanks to the fact that walking is low impact. Nonetheless, let us wax lyrical about walking and it’s health benefits!

It helps you lose weight

Depending on how much you walk, you could potentially lose about half a kilo a week – important if sweating out at the gym isn’t your thing. You can even lose the weight without going on a diet although diet control is advisable to guarantee more weight loss. Use a pedometer or an online calculator to determine how many calories you lose while walking per hour. This would help to determine how many kilometres or how much time to commit to walking in a day.

You don’t have to start out walking 10,000 steps a day but do work up to it. Work walking into your daily routine so that you don’t have to feel as if walking is a burden. Some ways of doing so are:

Take the stairs up and down if your destination is on the 2nd or 3rd floor
Use the escalator instead of the lift if your destination is higher than the 3rd floor
Choose a longer route to walk home from work every other day (this helps keep the walking interesting)
Walk a little further for lunch
Volunteer to walk the dog

Trains up your stamina

Although walking is low impact, similar to swimming, walking up the stairs or for long distances does work your cardiovascular system and improves your stamina over time. Just remember to increase the distance or flights of steps once you no longer feel challenged.

Allows you to enjoy the environment

Once you’re committed to walking, you may find yourself taking walks through parks or hiking through forests. This will allow you to enjoy nature and breathe in some fresh air while exercising. Even if you’re walking through your urban jungle, you may notice different things while walking through and learning more about the space you live in. Walking around unfamiliar neighbourhoods is also a great way to explore!

Walking doesn’t have to be a solo affair. You can find friends or colleagues to join you in your hikes or walks through parks. It’s great to have a lunch buddy who would walk with you to find interesting lunch spots or stalls that you might have otherwise missed! If you’re on pedometers such as FitBit, you can link it to your social media and challenge friends on who takes the most steps per week. This helps you stay motivated while also socialising with your friends in a healthy manner. If you’re walking the dog with your family member or partner, this will also give you the chance to bond with them and enjoy quality time together.

In conclusion

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Go on and grab a good pair of walking shoes, consult your doctor about your current state of health to determine how long you can walk, and just go on and walk!

Photo credits: Pixabay