You look out the window and you see people power-walking. You take your dog for a brisk walk and people pass you by in a hurry for their power walk.
Everywhere you look people are walking. Young, middle-aged, older…everyone is walking.
It so happened that around that time a couple of years ago, after years of leading a sedentary lifestyle, I figured I’d had enough of getting out of breath when faced with a single stairway. Started looking at workout options online and to my surprise, discovered that walking can be quite beneficial for beginners like myself.
Dusted off an old pair of trainers and I was ready to step outside boldly.
And I haven’t looked back since. On the days where I’m too tired to exercise, I go for a brisk walk.
So, what’s the deal with walking? Is it all that good for you? Here are some changes I’ve experienced when I go for a walk.
- Mood booster
Going for a brisk walk does wonders in boosting my mood and feeling better about all those sorts of daily problems. Instead of reaching for that glass of wine to unwind, walking calms me down and makes me feel there’s a solution to the problems encountered. - Builds muscle and bone strength
Especially for those who, like me, never prioritised working out in the past. I definitely started feeling a better muscle tone and some small pains slowly disappeared. - More focus gained
Walking, like any exercise, encourages me to tackle all daily projects in a more efficient way. I feel more focused and determined to resolve anything the day throws at me. - Weight loss
30 minutes a day for a couple of months was all I needed to start seeing I’m more toned and appear a lot fitter. As weighing scales are usually banned at my household, the only way I could tell I must have lost weight, was by trying old clothes and seeing how big they’ve got. Especially around the waist and hips. - Beneficial for my bowel
Literally, I became a lot more regular with the help of walking daily than I have previously been in my life. No amount of coffee can do what regular movement can do to your bowel movements. - Improves nutrition goals
When walking first thing in the morning, I was definitely more conscious of what I was putting in my body for the rest of the day. I felt so great as it was, why ruin it with a donut that would make feel sluggish. Pass on the fruit bowl! - Reduced my leg swelling
Like some females past a certain age, I would suffer from swelling of my legs at the end of a long day. Of course, walking didn’t eliminate the problem once and for all, but I would definitely be seeing less swelling even after the very first few walks. According to a quick search on Google, walking improves the secondary circulatory system (muscles, veins and valves in our calves and feet) which helps healthy blood flow.
Additionally, regular walking helps prevent and manage certain health conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
To all fitness beginners, what are you waiting for? Grab your walking shoes and let’s go for a walk.
You will be thanking me in a couple of months.
