Walking. Basic, yet oh so beneficial.

I think since we’ve been strolling around for as long as we can remember, we don’t give walking the credit it deserves.

For starters- IT’S FREE and easy to fit in during your day, no matter your schedule.

The health benefits of walking are numerous, here are a handful of my favorites:

1. Burn calories– which can help you lose or maintain weight. Obviously calorie burn is dependent on how long you walked (distance covered), how fast you were going and the terrain (flat, hills). Even a short but brisk walk does the body good!
2. Easy on the joints– as we age we look for lower impact exercises to maintain joint health. Walking can also help ease joint pain you may already have by strengthening surrounding muscles to support the joint better, and it may also help to lubricate the joints.
3. Give your mood a lift– Exercise in general makes your feel good, right? Well walking is no exception! You get increased levels of serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones are known to reduce anxiety, depression and stress – leaving you feeling happier and more relaxed.
4. Boost your energy– Walking may be even more effective at “waking you up” than a caffeine fix! Increased oxygen flow plus those same hormones that make you feel happy also make you feel more awake and alert. Bonus points if you get some sunshine on your face :)!
5. Increase your immune system– Did you know that walking can help you fight off illness? That’s because regular exercise increases the amount of white blood cells circulating in your blood. Studies have shown people that exercise regularly get sick less often, and if they do get sick they recover more quickly.
6. Help maintain or prevent chronic health issues– taking regular walks has a positive impact on lowering blood sugar and cardiovascular health. To get the most benefit on strengthening the heart aim for several longer (30 minutes or more) per week.
7. Helps digestion– overate at dinner? Walk it out. Being upright and moving aids in the digestive process. Less pressure on the stomach leads to less indigestion, and walking helps keeps the bowels moving. Not to mention a little after meal calorie burn never hurt anyone.

Do it with someone – bring the family, meet up with a friend. Walking is a great exercise to do in community. You can spend some quality time with loved ones, plus do something good for your health. That’s a win-win in my book!

We take frequent family walks, it is a great opportunity to share what’s going on in our lives and spend quality time. Justin and I often take kid-free walks as part of “date night”, sometimes that’s hiking at a favorite park, but sometimes it as simple as walking around the neighborhood. We have even done walks as part of “date mornings” where we grab a special coffee and walk on our local bike trail to start the day!

Do it by yourself – and get a nice mental break from the chaos. It gives you a chance to clear your head, decompress and maybe get some creative juices flowing.

I feel like my solo walks are when I do some of my best and clearest thinking, plus I get a chance to reflect.

It always leaves me feeling refreshed, grounded, and better than when I started! So what are you waiting for…grab a pair of walking shoes and get moving!

with Grace,