20 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited About the Benefits Of Walking

By admin on June 23rd, 2010

walking Let’s look at the 20 benefits:

It’s safe
Promotes weight loss
Helps prevent cancer
Reduces your risk of diabetes
Reduces risk of heart disease or stroke
Improve your mood, mind and spirit
Get strong and fit
Good for your bones
Good for you brain
Alleviates depression
Reduces risk of breast and colon cancer
Lowers high blood pressure
Helps control joint swelling and pain from arthritis
Helps you handle stress
Improves your self-esteem
Improves circulation
Helps breathing
Boosts the immune system
Helps keep your bones, muscles and joints healthy
You can do it even if you are pregnant

Does that list give you the push you need to get started? Come and join me. Did you know that basic changes in your eating habits and exercise can lead to a dramatic drop in your risk for chronic illnesses in as little as six weeks? Walking is a natural form of exercise. Best of all it is safe, does not require training and doesn’t cost much.

I have found a beautiful area in the state park near my home. I go everyday and enjoy the beautiful surroundings as I take my walk. Occasionally my son will join me. It gives us the opportunity to talk and build a stronger relationship (another benefit). If I walk alone, I listen to books on CD. I get so interested in the plot the time goes by quickly. I also believe in rewarding myself for achieving my goals. Add 5 to 10 minutes to your walk after a week or two (depending on how you feel), when you meet your goal, reward yourself.

It’s important to start slow and prepare. Protect yourself from blisters and muscle/joint pain.

The best advice I can give is to wear comfortable clothes, I prefer cotton clothing and a good pair of walking sneakers. If you are walking at dusk or after dark use reflective tape so motorists can see you.

walking sign

Before you start your walk stretch your muscles, hamstrings and calf’s. Make sure to spend
about 5 minutes warming up. Walk slowly to warm up and increase your speed until you feel
warm.
When you are almost done walking, start to slow your pace, this will reduce the stress on your
heart and muscles. Repeat your stretches.
As with anything, setting goals will increase your chances of achieving success. Be realistic, start with 30 minutes and work your way to an hour for maximum benefit.

I promise you that if you stick with it, in a short time you will start to feel the benefits. I have been walking for about 2 weeks and I already feel like I have more energy. I am walking for 55 minutes and have also added vitamins to my morning routine.

If you are walking 2.5 Mph on a firm surface you will be burning 204 calories per hour assuming a body weight of 150 lbs. You can do a Google search for “calories burned walking” and find your body weight to get a more accurate measurement.

Do you need more motivation? The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking just 150 minutes per week (that’s 30 minutes 5 days a week) and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 lbs) you can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%. That’s fantastic!

Walking is the best exercise for people of all ages. Let’s get off the couch and just start walking and feeling great again!

The best reward is how you feel and look. Stay with me and I will keep you motivated. Sign up on my blog and I will send you video’s of my results along with recipes that I am using to help obtain my goal.

If you are struggling, and need a buddy, reach out to me! I’d love to hear from you! I would like to know your thoughts and opinions. If you have any questions, I would also like to hear from you. If you have found my article of any importance today, please share it with your Twitter and Facebook friends by using the share button below.

To Our Success,

Lisa Tredy

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