Now that it’s lighter later in the evenings, it’s a great time to start walking again after work to unwind, destress and refresh yourself after a hard day’s work. Walking is a great all-over beneficial exercise that most people can do around their workplace, near their home, within their home, at the mall or out in nature. Whatever works for you is best, but it’s important to get walking and increase your step count to help improve overall health and wellbeing.
Walking has many benefits if you incorporate it as part of your ongoing routine. It’s not the same as a kick-boxing class or weight lifting workout, but it definitely has its benefits and is recommended for most everyone to do on a regular basis: Get out there and get moving! You don’t have to be at a gym to get the benefits of a good workout. Walking can rev your heartrate and boost your metabolism, but it also has the benefit of lowering your stress level, and if you’re outdoors, you will also get the benefit of taking in some valuable vitamin D (sunshine) and fresh air.
Walking regularly can help strengthen your heart, ease join pain, boost your immune function and help lower your blood sugar. It also can help reduce blood pressure, strengthen your bones and improve your balance. Those are all great health benefits, but, like mentioned, it also is good for improving your mood and boosting your energy, so it can help with your outlook even after a bad day. Plus, walks are great for processing things on your mind while you’re moving your body. You can Google the benefits that walking has on your body and many doctors will recommend this easy-to-do exercise.
If you’re new to it, start slowly and play a game with yourself to increase the time and/or distance every day. You can even track your steps on your phone or other gadgets and “compete” with friends. One important thing is to make sure you’re in a safe place when walking and to pay attention to cars and people around you. If you’re listening to music or a podcast or audio book to maximize your walking time, it’s especially important to pay attention to your surroundings and stay safe.
Since many of us sit so much during the day, be sure to walk around your office place a little bit each hour. And, if you can take a stroll at lunchtime, that would be great. If not then, try to fit in a walk before work or one after work either to gear up for the day or to unwind at the end of the work day. Where you do it is up to you. Many people like to walk outdoors where there are trees or the ocean or a beautiful view, but even in a mall is OK if you want a level surface or a more climate-controlled environment. The important thing is to do it and to do it consistently.
If you prefer to not walk alone, enlist a friend, relative or neighbor to join you. It’s a wonderful way to get in a workout and also connect with people you care about. If you’re talking while walking, it can help you to get things out and work through situations with someone’s input, so it’s a win-win all around. If you’re looking to lose weight by walking, be sure to watch what you’re eating and drink plenty of water each day and aim for walking about forty-five minutes almost every day. You can build up to that if you’re just starting though. It is most important to incorporate this healthy habit into your everyday routine and just get going! For overall health, it’s recommended to walk at least 30 minutes each day – and again be sure to move throughout the day and stretch.
You can enjoy the benefits of walking throughout the year during the different seasons. You might even notice the birds and flowers as they change throughout the year to what’s blooming or nearby. Enjoy and here’s to your good health!
