Walking Your Way to lose weight
Walking Your Way to Good Health
When it comes to fitness, there are many low-impact, easy-to-perform activities from which you can derive great health benefits. But the easiest and most popular form of low-impact exercise is walking.
Walking is inexpensive. You can do it anytime, anywhere. Walking stimulates mental activities because it increases the intake of oxygen, which refreshes the brain. Vigorous walking releases chemicals into your bloodstream that lower anxiety and tension. Walking can help you manage weight, cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension. It can also help to increase your aerobic capacity, strength, flexibility, balance, bone density, and immunity.
- weight
Walking stimulates metabolism and keeps burning calories for hours after you stop exercising. Walking for 45 minutes a day, four days a week for a year burns 18 pounds of fat. - cholesterol
Studies have shown that walking gradually increases the incidence of high-density (good) cholesterol and decreases low-density (bad) cholesterol. - diabetes
Because walking decreases the need for insulin, reduces weight, and lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is the perfect tonic for diabetics. - hypertension
Two of the factors in hypertension (or high blood pressure)–stress and obesity–are reduced by walking. Also, the size, number, and flexibility of capillaries are increased, boosting blood flow. - aerobic capacity
Walking increases the capacity of your body to breathe and absorb oxygen, thus slowing the aging process and arresting the decline of aerobic capacity that often accompanies aging or inactivity. - strength, flexibility, and balance
The flexibility and strength of joints and muscles is improved by walking. Balance is also maintained through general body toning. - bones
Bone density, hardening, and strength are increased by the impact of walking. - glands
Walking also stimulates the endocrine system which improves the body’s immunity to disease.
One of the advantages of walking is that it can be practiced at any time in nearly any climate, and in a variety of locations.
- Walking barefoot, or beach-walking, strengthens your arches and toes and allows the feet to achieve full flexing motion. Beach walking is slower than walking on a path, but your heart will be working just as hard.
- Walking through the snow can be exhilarating. Whether you’re trudging with waterproof boots or using snowshoes to shuffle cross-country, snow-walking burns loads of calories and gets you out during the cold months.
- Race-walking is an increasingly popular sport. It is a step up from walking, as running is from jogging. It requires a special technique to stay within the rules but is a very vigorous way to train or compete.
- Sometimes it’s necessary to walk at night. Take safety precautions such as reflective clothing, staying on main thoroughfares, carrying ID and a small amount of cash, and leaving a note as to your route and expected return time.
- Pool-walking is best suited for patients recovering from leg or chest surgery because of the added buoyancy of the water.
- In many cities, walking is one of the best ways to get around, while in other cities this may be impractical. Where it is possible, mix exercise and your commute. It’s also a great way to avoid the stress and frustration of traffic.
Walking provides all the aerobic exercise you need to stay in shape, but it must be practiced daily and vigorously for at least 45 minutes or more.