Why you should walk for 30 minutes every day
Walking is a form of exercise that nearly all people can incorporate into their daily lives. So it's perfect for even the most time-poor among us. Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Here's why you should walk for at least 30 minutes every day.
Did you know that just by walking you can:
Improve your cardio vascular fitness
Increase your muscle strength
Improve your balance
Reduce your body fat
Build stronger bones
My patients often tell me that they are so pushed for time that they can't fit regular exercise into their daily lives. Walking is perfect for even the busiest person. It can easily be incorporated into anybody's daily routine as it can be done anywhere or anytime. If 30 minutes is a bit ambitious you can break up each walk into 10 minute increments, as it's the total number of steps per day that really counts. Try to aim for 10,000 steps per day. Some people find a pedometer is a useful way of keeping track of how many steps they're taking.
Here are some simple tips for incorporating more walking into your daily life:
Rather than a coffee business meeting, go for a walking meeting
Meet a friend for a walk and talk
Take the stairs where possible
Get off the bus a stop or two earlier than usual
Walk to the shops rather than driving
To get the most out of walking its important to practice walking with great posture. This means head up, chest up and shoulders back. The belly should be pulled in slightly and our stride should be nice and natural with a heel to toe strike. Good quality shoes with appropriate arch support should be worn along with loose comfortable clothes.
You can vary workouts by including hills or increasing and decreasing the speed of walking. Remember it's the distance that counts.
As with all exercise it's important to consult your health care professional before embarking on a new program especially if you haven't exercised for a while, are over 40 or have any preexisting health issues.
