Just Walk!

Whenever I come back from a walk, I always wished I made more time and did it more often; especially when it the sun is out and weather is nice and warm. I love walking and I want get people walking as well. It’s the most simple and easiest form of exercise and a brilliant way to keep fit and healthy. You don’t need to fancy expensive gadget, just take a bottle of water some good walking shoes or trainers and simple step out and keep going.

Walking is so flexible you can go at your own pace according to your own strength and capability. You can go faster to use up more energy and therefore burn more calories, or you take it easier and go slow and build up your fitness level.

Benefits of Walking

There are so many benefits to walking, not just to your physical health but it does wonders to your mental health as well. Studies have shown that going out for a 10 minute walk every day will reduce the risk to depression and ease stress. I have just listed some of the many benefits to walking just to outline how good and easy it actually is:

• It’s free
• Easy
•  No need for any equipment
• Its diverse and flexible, you can go at your own pace and  build it up for intense workout
• Keeps you fit and healthy
• Improves, prevents and reverses illnesses, like obesity, type-2 diabetes, strokes, heart disease, some cancers, osteoporosis, dementia and mental health.
• Helps to manage weight problems
• Lifts mood and you feel happier
•  Promotes positive mental health
• Strengthens bone and muscles
• Keeps the heart and lungs working properly
• Reduces blood pressure

It doesn't even need to be thought of as a workout, you just go out with a group of friends and chat along the way to make it more fun, and you’ll be able to motivate each other to make it a regular thing. If you are looking to keep fit and healthy or to lose weight all you need to keep in mind is that, walk at a pace that your heart pumps slightly more than normal, but you are still able to hold a conversation.

So, how much should we walk?

It is recommended that we should walk 30 minutes 5 times a week, or 150 minutes a week.You have 1440 minutes in a day, surely you can spare a quick 30 minutes to get out door and go for walk, and it will do wonders to your body and mind if taken up on a regular basis. I did a Walk Leader Training Course and it has motivated me to get walking and start a walking group, so I am starting a Women’s Weekly Walk. It’s just going to be a group walk to promote a healthy walk and get people walking, so let me know if you are interested!

A H Nutritionist

30^th April 2012