Are you trying to get more active so you look and feel your best? You may think you have to start an intense, highly challenging physical workout to see noticeable results. But jumping into a physically challenging workout program without building up to it can cause excessive stress on your body and can potentially lead to injury. What many people don’t realize is that they can boost their health by simply walking. Here are a few surprising ways walking can boost your health.
Reduced Body Fat
Walking for 30-60 minutes per day can help burn fat. For best results, work up to a brisk walk so you can burn as many calories as possible. Walking briskly for 30 minutes can help you burn anywhere between 100 and 300 calories (depending on your body weight). If you walk at least 30 minutes, a portion of the calories you burn will likely come from stored fat. This is because the first 30 minutes of exercise typically uses up calories that are stored as sugar. After that, your body begins to pull its energy from stored fat.
Stronger Bones
Your bones are living tissues that become stronger with exercise. While any type of exercise can strengthen your bones, walking is a great way to do so safely. Walking is a gentle exercise that doesn’t put too much stress on your joints. To gain maximum bone-building benefits from your everyday walks, consider picking up your pace for at least portions of your walk, adding stairs to your walk or walking backward and sideways at times if you are comfortable. Changing things up in this way can create slightly more pressure on your bones, which can cause them to become stronger and denser.
Increased Muscle Strength
Walking can help build muscle strength and endurance, especially if you walk for longer than 30 minutes. The more you can speed up your walk, the more muscle strength you’ll develop. Make sure you maintain good posture throughout your walk so you can strengthen the muscles that support your spine.
To further improve your muscles strength and posture, consider doing supplementary exercises such as the LongSpine Method from Newport Medical and Wellness Center. This is a therapeutic class that strengthens the muscles along the spine and peripheral nerves.
Improved Health
Any form of gentle exercise has the capacity to improve your health when you do it regularly. By walking each day, you can reduce your risk of health conditions such as high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and inflammatory conditions. Since walking is so easy on the body, practically anyone can do it (including those who may not have the best physical health).
Increased Cardiovascular Fitness
Many of the diseases that plague society have to do with the cardiovascular system. Whether you have a family history of cardiovascular disease or you simply want to maximize your heart and lung fitness, walking can help. When you walk briskly, you force your heart and lungs to work harder. Over time, regular walking can strengthen these systems and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
These are just some of the great benefits you can enjoy just by walking every day (or most days). Try starting a daily walking routine today and watch how your health improves.
