These days, we see a lot of complicated exercises and gyms packed full of equipment. While there’s nothing wrong with any of that, of course, sometimes I just like to see things that are more simple. I don’t always want to figure out how to use that new machine with its 50 buttons or have an instructor, however well-meaning, yell at me for an hour while I sweat oceans.
Sometimes, I just want to walk. And guess what, readers? It’s a valid way to exercise and offers a load of benefits!
Being sedentary is big problem in the US. According to Get America Standing, we sit close to ten hours each day on average (http://getamericastanding.org/). Research, including a review of several studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, has shown that this level of inactivity just can’t be offset by your evening workout (https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M14-1651?articleid=2091327&), and it can have serious consequences, too. Being sedentary is known to increase your risk of developing several conditions, including heart disease and high blood pressure.
Just walking each day can boost your fitness levels and increase your longevity. Many studies have shown the power of walking. As reported by the Independent, a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress found that walking briskly for 25 minutes each day could extend your life by six or seven years, halving the risk of dying from a heart attack for those in their 50s and 60s.
Adding some more walking to your daily life isn’t difficult to do, either, and it’s entirely free. Instead of sending that email, talk a walk to your coworker’s office. When you can choose between an elevator and the stairs, go for the stairs. When you go to work or the store, park your car further away from the entrance than you normally do. Take a longer route to your office when you come back from your break. During your lunch hour, start taking walks. There’s an added bonus to this, too–walking on a lunch break has been shown to lower stress related to work.
Of course, if you’re worried about your progress, you can get a fitness monitor. These wearable gadgets tell you how many steps you’ve taken in a day.
Get yourself into the regular walking habit to improve your body’s condition, combat the effects of sitting down all day, and boost your health overall. When you get yourself moving, you’ll feel better and wonder why you didn’t start doing this sooner!
