The Health Benefits of Walking

There are a lot of good reasons to go for a walk. It is fun, it’s relaxing, and it is something that you and your family can do together. Most importantly, it’s good for your health. But what exactly are the health benefits of walking? There are many! Here are some of the most notable.

Walking Gets You Out in Fresh Air and Sunshine

Walking motivates you to get outside and into the fresh air. This alone will make you feel better as your body absorbs clean oxygen, sunshine, and that vital Vitamin D. All of these are important for your health and well-being.

Walking Helps You Reach and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Walking at a quick pace regularly can help you get to and then maintain a healthy weight. While you still need to include a healthy diet, walking is another tool to help you drop those extra pounds.

The nice thing about walking when you’re overweight is that you burn a lot of calories, even on short and slow walks, simply because you’re carrying the additional weight. Swing your arms and even add some small hand weights to add some resistance for additional calorie burn. As you start to lose the weight, your overall strength and endurance increases, allowing you to walk longer, further, and faster.

Walking Improves Your Balance and Coordination

As you walk, particularly when walking over rougher terrain, you’re also working on improving your balance and coordination, which is critical for middle age people. Need to improve even more on your balance? As you walk, try turning your head to the right and left, back and forth, for a count of 30. Then move your head up and down for a count of 30. (Only do this while walking on flat surfaces).

Walking Strengthens Your Bones and Muscles

Even though walking is a low impact form of exercise, it really helps to strengthen and tone your body, especially your muscles and ligaments. If you’re just starting out with an exercise program, it is all you need to get into better shape. As you get more fit, consider adding weight lifting exercises in addition to your daily walks to continue to get stronger and help develop strong muscles and bones.

Walking Will Boost Your Mood and Fight Depression

Last, but not least, the walking releases endorphins that will help lift your mood and can even reduce depression. That in itself is a great reason to head out for a walk.

The Health Benefits of Walking can help you! Fall is the perfect time to start and enjoy a walking program that will help you improve your health; body, mind, and soul.