I recently added walking into my weekly routine and am absolutely loving the benefits. Fitness is a huge priority to me, and walking is one of the activities that is enjoyable to do every day. It’s not only great for your body, but it is incredibly effective at relieving stress and helping your brain be more creative.
Here are some of the main health benefits recognized by health professionals from a regular brisk walk:
•Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat
•Improve cardiovascular fitness
•Strengthen your bones and muscles
•Improve muscle endurance
•Increase energy levels
•Improve your mood, cognition, memory and sleep
•Improve your balance and coordination
•Strengthen immune system
•Reduce stress and tension
A lot of people say that they don’t know where to start with fitness. You have to understand where you are starting from physically and set walking goals that you know you can hit getting started. Maybe your goal for the day is to walk to the end of the driveway and back. Maybe you can handle one lap around the block. Maybe you can do a mile or two. The point is to start where you can maintain the daily goal and then add in more steps the next day.
You have to understand where you are starting from physically and set walking goals that you know you can hit getting started.
I recently heard the story of a woman named Bonnie in her 70s. Bonnie was walking with a walker, and barely even then. She started drinking ketones daily and set a daily goal to go just a little bit further with her walker every day. She began to build strength and become encouraged by her results. Now Bonnie is able to take steps even without her walker and is so excited to keep walking. If Bonnie can do it, we all can. You know my favorite part about her story? They joy she had when she was sharing it. She feels so good physically and emotionally because of what walking has done for her.
Set your goals. Track your progress. Celebrate your wins with others. That is the recipe for success when starting a new routine.
Don’t over think it and miss good for perfect, but turning your normal walk into a fitness stride requires good posture and purposeful movements.
Ideally, here’s how you’ll look when you’re walking:
•Your head is up. You’re looking forward, not at the ground.
•Your neck, shoulders and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright.
•You’re swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK.
•Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward.
•You’re walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.
Also getting the right gear for walking is important. Get a great supportive shoe with cushioning and arch support. There are great shoe stores that will actually have you walk on a treadmill and help determine the right shoe for you. If you live in a sunny area a great SUNBLOCK and hat or VISOR are a must. You don’t want to trade one health concern for another! If you really want to increase the workout you can always add a great WEIGHT to your ankles to make the walk a little more engaging for your muscles. And of course, you need to have a great outfit for walking. Invest in walking SHORTS that will help prevent chaffing! I have linked some of my favorite products in this article too.
Most importantly, stay motivated. Set yourself up for success, make walking enjoyable by inviting a friend or choosing a beautiful location, celebrate your wins and progress, and take any missed days in stride. We are never striving for perfection, but we should always be pursuing progress. Daily walks could literally be your first step towards better health!
XO – Lauren Dixon
