Ask the Anytime Girl: Taking a walk is physically, mentally beneficial
Question: Lately it seems like sitting is the new smoking. How much should I be walking every day for best health benefits?
Answer: You’re on to something! Walking IS great! The simple act of walking is more impactful than you might think. Not only is walking a great low-impact cardio workout that can benefit your physical health, but there are plenty of mental health benefits of walking, too.
Have you heard that you should aim for 10,000 steps a day? Turns out that number is not one-size-fits-all. Ultimately, how long you walk each day may also depend on your specific fitness goals and current fitness level. A step tracker is a great tool to see how much you’re currently walking per day. From there, you can challenge yourself to work toward a higher number of steps.
• If you’re just getting back into exercise or starting an exercise regimen, begin slowly with 5 to 10 minutes of walking a day. Build up to 30-minute walks over the course of a few weeks.
• If you already have a workout plan in place, you can add in brisk daily walks to supplement your existing workouts, or in place of other cardio.
• If you want to challenge yourself or accelerate weight loss, you can up the intensity on your walks by adding variations like intervals or inclines.
Walking offers numerous mental and physical benefits. It helps the brain process information by engaging both hemispheres, similar to REM sleep, and can boost creativity. Walking also reduces stress through endorphin release and acts as a form of active meditation. Regular walks improve sleep quality by aiding muscle recovery and boosting melatonin production. Walking serves as active recovery, easing muscle soreness after workouts, and supports weight management by boosting metabolism. Additionally, consistent daily walks build healthy exercise habits, promote heart health, strengthen the immune system, and help prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Whether you hit the trail for a daily stroll in nature or turn to the treadmill to get your blood pumping, daily walking benefits your body and mind in countless ways. Start slow if you need to and work your way up to a brisk daily walk that will boost your metabolism, lower your stress, and help you continue to make healthy choices all day long.
About the author: Jayme Smid is the club manager at Anytime Fitness in Brandon. To submit a question for future articles, please contact the author at jayme.smid@anytimefitness.com.
