A lot of people seem to put off taking exercise because they think that it might be too strenuous. Others may just be worried that they aren’t fit enough to get into shape, whilst some may have medical problems which mean that they cannot over exert themselves. Many will simply find the thought of a trip to the gym and getting all hot and sweaty an unpleasant proposition. Whatever the reasons, and there’s no shortage of them, it can be very difficult to summon up the motivation to take exercise – regardless of the fact that we are all aware that it’s good for our health to do so.
However, there is a form of exercise which most people perform daily without even thinking about it. It needs no special equipment and won’t leave you panting and out of breath. Walking is a fantastic way to get a low impact workout with very little injury risk and which can be undertaken by most people. You can fit it into your daily routine as and when it suits you and there are no expensive membership fees to pay either.
The benefits of walking as a way of taking exercise are numerous. It lowers the risk of heart problems and stroke, it lowers blood pressure, increases lung capacity and strengthens the heart. It builds muscle and, due to the fact that it is a weight bearing exercise, it also increases bone density. It burns calories and will, if performed regularly, lead to weight loss. Walking to lose weight is extremely effective. It can even help to combat anxiety and depression and reduce the risk of contracting certain forms of cancer.
It’s a long, and for many people, very desirable list of health benefits – which can be obtained with very little effort and without the need to turn into a professional athlete overnight. Walking for as little as thirty minutes daily can very quickly produce visible results when carried out regularly. If you can gradually build up to something around 10,000 steps a day – which is, for most people, equivalent to 5 miles – then you will quickly begin to lose pounds, shed inches from your waistline, feel generally better and have more energy.
The important thing is consistency. Start off gradually and try to increase your distance covered with time – and not until you are ready to do so. Leave the car in the garage and walk to work, school, the shops. Take the stairs instead of using the elevator once in a while. Relatively minor changes soon make a big difference. The only thing that you really need in order to start walking is a good pair of comfortable shoes – although you can get specially engineered training shoes like Fitflops sandals today which will increase the effectiveness of your walking exercise regime. However, you might consider getting yourself an inexpensive pedometer – they start at less than $10 – to be a wise investment. You might very well find that recording your progress – expressed as the number of steps taken, the distance covered or the number of calories burned – will help to keep you to keep motivated.
If you haven’t taken any exercise for a while, if you’re over 40, or if you have any existing medical problems, then you should be sure to talk to your doctor before embarking upon any new exercise routine. However, if you’re sensible and start off slowly, regular walking exercise has the potential to furnish you with numerous health benefits – including weight reduction, increased energy and, best of all, generally feeling better.
