Walking For a Healthy Lifestyle
FITNESS | HEART HEALTH | WEIGHT LOSS
Reviewed by Dr. Nisha Singh, Dietitian (Ph.D.), MSc.FN.
People are more prone to chronic illnesses such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease due to the modern lifestyle, which lacks daily workouts practices.[1] Walking has various health benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Is walking beneficial for your health?
Walking is an excellent approach to enhance or maintain your health. In just 30 minutes a day, you may improve your heart health, strengthen your bones, lose weight, and increase your muscular strength and stamina. It can also help you avoid illnesses including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some malignancies. It may also help you live longer by aiding in the prevention of certain ailments. Walking is free and, it does not involve any specific equipment or instruction, unlike certain workouts. Walking is a low-cost, easy-to-incorporate exercise into your daily schedule.
All you need to start walking is a nice pair of walking shoes!
10,000 steps per day
Evidence is beginning to emerge that regular walking is beneficial, with a particular focus on the Japanese goal of 10,000 steps per day. Steps challenge at work has become popular as a technique to get big groups of people to increase their daily physical activity in a sustainable and fun way. The favourable health effects are increasingly being highlighted in terms of cardiovascular health, diabetes risk reduction, and improving lifestyle variables including obesity and hypertension. Studies revealed that those who completed the 100-day 10,000-step program had increased well‐being, demonstrating the efficacy and promise of these programs for a modest but significant improvement in mental health.[2,3]
Every day, walk for 30 minutes.
Try to walk for at least 30 minutes at a brisk pace on most days during the week to reap the health advantages. ‘Brisk’ indicates you can still speak but not sing, and you could be puffing a little. Moderate physical activity, such as walking, has no health risk; but if you have a medical problem, see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.
Thinking outside the box
Walking might help you clear your mind to think more imaginatively. People seeking to come up with fresh ideas while walking or sitting were compared in studies. When you’re stuck on a problem at work, try organizing a walking discussion with your co-workers.
Improve your energy and mood
When you’re fatigued, going for a stroll may be a more effective energy booster. Walking boosts the body’s oxygen supply. Walking is beneficial to your mental health. Walking has been shown in studies to help alleviate anxiety, unhappiness, and a bad mood. according to research, walking in nature during the exam time resulted in lower cortisol levels than watching nature during the exam period. Walking in nature enhances mood more than simply seeing natural scenes or doing physical activity.[5]
Heart strengthening
Walking for 30 minutes five days a week can help lower your risk of coronary heart disease. Your risk may be reduced even further if you increase the length or duration of your daily walks.
Regulated your Blood sugar levels
After you eat, go for a brief stroll to assist reduce your blood sugar. Blood sugar levels were improved by walking for 15 minutes three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and supper). Make a post-meal stroll a regular part of your day. It would also make it easier to integrate exercise into your day.
Weight loss
You can burn calories by walking. Calories burned can assist you in maintaining or losing weight. To enhance your health, you don’t need to engage in strenuous exercise or do it for lengthy periods.
Strengthen your legs
The muscles in your legs can be strengthened by walking. Walk in a hilly location or on an incline treadmill to get additional strength. Alternatively, look for routes that include stairways.
Walking at a relaxed pace
The amount of energy expended by walking a kilometer or running a kilometer is similar for most individuals; the only difference is that walking takes longer. Plan to walk a certain distance each day and keep track of how long it takes you to complete it. You will be able to walk longer distances and utilize more energy as your fitness increases. Because our bodies become accustomed to physical exercise, gradually raise the intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves.
Gain a sense of well-being
Walking has several advantages that add to an overall sense of well-being.
Obtaining a sense of independence and escape; Developing a sense of self-awareness and attentiveness to one’s surroundings and their impact; Increasing self-assurance in one’s ability to cope and act; Obtaining a sense of perspective and gratitude for life.[4]
For Better Health, Walk!
References:
- Tschentscher, M., Niederseer, D., & Niebauer, J. (2013). Health benefits of Nordic walking: a systematic review. American journal of preventive medicine, 44(1), 76-84.
2. Hallam, K. T., Bilsborough, S., & de Courten, M. (2018). “Happy feet”: evaluating the benefits of a 100-day 10,000 step challenge on mental health and wellbeing. BMC psychiatry, 18(1), 1-7.
3. Tudor-Locke, C., & Bassett, D. R. (2004). How many steps/day are enough?. Sports medicine, 34(1), 1-8.
4. Freeman, E., Akhurst, J., Bannigan, K., & James, H. (2017). Benefits of walking and solo experiences in UK wild places. Health promotion international, 32(6), 1048-1056.
5. Olafsdottir, G., Cloke, P., Schulz, A., Van Dyck, Z., Eysteinsson, T., Thorleifsdottir, B., & Vögele, C. (2020). Health benefits of walking in nature: A randomized controlled study under conditions of real-life stress. Environment and Behavior, 52(3), 248-274.