In fitness, we tend to underestimate the basics: getting enough water, getting enough sleep, and yes, walking enough steps. As simple as it is, walking — which requires no training or special equipment — can have a big impact on your mind and body.
Brisk walking counts as cardio, but you don’t need to pick up the pace to reap many of the benefits of walking. Why is walking important?
“This is what we must do!” says Mary Beth Rockwell, CPT, CNC, CES.. “Walking is a very effective, low-intensity and fuss-free form of exercise.” Here’s what you need to know about the potential health benefits of walking.
1. It can help you lose or maintain weight
Don’t discount the calories you burn by walking. Walking at an average speed, a 150 kg person can burn 83 calories per mile. Do you feel energized? Pull it off at a brisk pace with a light grade to burn 120 calories over the same distance.
Weight loss and fat loss are based on energy in versus energy out, and walking can really help manage the amount of calories you consume. Participants in a study he walked briskly for an hour, but he didn’t eat more, feel hungrier, or produce more of the hunger hormone ghrelin.
2. It can be a good alternative to running
“Running may garner the most glamorous headlines, but it’s not for everyone,” according to Rockwell. “If you are obese or have hip or knee pain, you may need to avoid pounding running.”
That’s where walking comes in. Because walking is less strenuous and lower-impact than running, Rockwell says, “you can safely reap the physical and mental benefits of regular exercise while walking, even if you’re not a good candidate for running.”
3. It can help you sleep better
Speaking of sleep, walking can help with that too. Participants in a 2019 study who increased their steps with daily walking reported higher quality sleep than their peers who did not.
4. It can improve mood
“Studies show that walking can also help overcome feelings of despair and anxious feelings,” notes Rockwell. But even if you don’t struggle with these feelings, this moderate activity might it will help you deal with stress more effectively if you go about it with awareness.
And get out if you can. There are many benefits of walking on a treadmill, but improving mood is one of the big benefits of walking outside. research suggests.
5. Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Here’s one of the great benefits of walking every day: It’s good for your heart. In fact, it may be just as beneficial for cardiovascular health as running, according to research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. So the more you walk, the greater the benefit.
6. May help support bone health
“Walking is a low-intensity, weight-bearing exercise that helps your bones safely get stronger,” explains Rockwell, adding that this benefit becomes more important as you get older.
7. It is easy to scale up or down
As mentioned above, a moderate walk can improve mood. But if you’re feeling strong, you can easily increase your effort and the calories you burn by picking up speed or tackling some hills or stairs. Start with these two power walking routines.
8. It can help improve digestive health
They have proven to be walks after a meal promotes regular gastric emptying time. For all you non-gastroenterologists out there, this is when food moves from the stomach to the small intestine, which is related with a healthier gut.
9. May promote healthy blood sugar
It is not necessary to do all your daily walking in one session. In fact, short walks that break up the seats can have a positive impact in blood sugar. Rockwell says taking several short, brisk walks a day is a great way to escape the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.
10. It can boost brain health
Evidence shows that walking can help you build a healthier body and mind. Participants who completed mental exercises and a walking-based exercise program for 12 weeks showed improvements in memory and executive function, a study was found.
Other research has also found that walking can promote more gray matter. (Gray matter is associated with brain health and a lower risk of cognitive decline.) Older adults who walked more had the greatest increases in gray matter in this study.
11. It can increase creative thinking
Do you have writer’s block? Take a walk. Walking boosted the creativity of 81 percent of participants a study. While the “free flow of ideas” the researchers observed during the walk can lead to you AHA! At this time, they also noticed a residual boost of creativity that continued even after the participants sat back down after their walk.
