7 Surprising Health Benefits of a Daily Walk


Walking, we all do some form of it every day. We know it has benefits of weight loss and some of us
find time to walk to public transport, some take the dog for a walk, and others walk from their desk
to the printer. We all know the importance of going for a walk, but do we really know how beneficial
it is? Walking has plenty of benefits we may not have considered.


1. Improve your mood.
Going for a brisk walk in the fresh air has the ability to lift your mood, even when you are thinking
negative thoughts. It gives you the ability to focus on something other than your tasks that may be
influencing your mood. A walk in the fresh air can help reduce stress and allow you to be in the
moment.


2. Increases bone density.
As we age our bone density decreases. To improve or bone density we are required to do weight
bearing exercises. Walking is a low impact form of weight bearing exercise. Loss of bone density
leads to osteoporosis so as we get older it is especially important we focus on maintaining our bone
density through healthy exercise habbits.


3. Increased energy.
Believe it or not. Expending energy through walking actually increases your energy. This can be even
more so by increasing the tempo of your walk increasing your oxygen intake. It will also help you to
relax tense muscles which decreases the need for energy consumption.


4. Lower blood pressure.
Whether you suffer from cardiovascular problems or you have hypertension, walking has been
proven to lower your changes of heart related problems. You must always consult a doctor before
commencing however a structured, routine walking plan can help lower high blood pressure and
improve the overall health of your heart.


5. Boost your metabolism.
Do you have a grabable gut? Well that could be a sign of excess fat sitting around your organs. A
brisk walk with intervals of a faster pace has been proven to help you burn calories and continue to
do so even after you have finished exercising. This is achieved by the brisk walking improving your
metabolism speed. To get added metabolism boosting benefits aim for 45-60 mins of moderate to
high pace walking.


6. Ease into more intense exercise.
Walking is a great way to get started! Walking helps by preparing your body for a more intense
routine. As they say ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’, which couldn’t be truer for a new exercise regime.
If weight loss is your goal you can add a walk/run to your program. This type of interval training
increases your endurance and builds your body for other exercises.


7. Aid recovery.
Even if you have already commenced a higher intensity activity walking helps to aid in the recovery
process. Walking helps to relax the muscles and your mind. As you are required to have posture
when walking it also assists in easing body aches in your back and legs from more intense exercise.


Category: Motivation

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