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While running certainly has some health benefits, simple walking can do a lot more. This is how walking more will improve your health.
I remember when I was constantly told to run to help lose weight. The truth is running isn’t the best thing for your health, especially when it comes to fat loss and muscle building. Walking has been the best thing for me over the years.
This isn’t just a leisurely stroll, though. On the treadmill, I will put the incline to around 10-15 and walk at a speed of 3 at least for 15-30 minutes. If I’m out walking the dogs, I’ll make sure that our pace is on the higher end to help work the muscles and burn some of the fat.
Walking is so much more enjoyable than running
Even when I’m doing the more intense walks* on the treadmill or I powerwalk around the neighborhood, I find it so much more enjoyable than running. This helps me do it more. If you enjoy something, you will want to do it, and that will improve your health. It’s all about consistency.
You don’t just want to walk, though. I will still had a light jog now and then, and I do a lot of strength training and swimming. Mixing up my routine is essential for my mind, but also for my body. You need to prevent your body from getting used to a workout!
Improve your health of your heart
Your cardiovascular health will improve when you walk more. You want to aim at walking at a brisk pace for 150 minutes per week. You can break that to 30 minutes per weekday, or you can break it to 20 minutes every single day (plus an extra 10 one day).
Many studies have shown that increasing your walking pace and doing it for 150 minutes per will improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and boost the heart’s health. You want to elevate the heart rate just a little to build that muscle. Yes, your heart is a muscle!
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Improve your joint health
One of the issues with running is the impact on your joints. You want to gain the benefits without the injuries, and that’s what walking will do. You can still boost the heart rate, but you’ll not put the pressure on the joints as your feet pound the pavement. It makes walking far more accessible.
Regular walking will even help to boost the strength of the muscles around your joints. Not only do this reduce risk of injury, but you can also reduce pain felt around the joints as they are stronger to hold your weight.
Reduce your weight to improve your health
What about your weight? Well, walking is also linked to weight loss and management. No, you won’t burn the same amount of calories as you would in a run, but you are still going to burn calories. In fact, a 30-minute walk can burn as many as 200 calories. And that’s just on a flat surface. If you do the higher-intensity walks on the treadmill, you can burn more!
Walking will also boost your metabolism. This means you burn more calories throughout the day. Of course, you need to incorporate healthy eating in with this, which means eating fewer calories* than you burn and plenty of protein for healthier muscle building.
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Boost your mental health
Most of the time, you’re going to head outside for your walks. This is a great way to take in nature and gain a boost to your mental health issues. The outside is a great way to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. Walking itself is an exercise that will boost the natural levels of endorphins and serotonin around the body, boosting the happy feelings.
Plus, you want to do it. The idea of running can leave you with dread, but the idea of walking doesn’t do that. Right?
Improve your sleeping abilities
Sleep is the number one reason for a poor or healthy lifestyle. If you don’t sleep well, your hormones are going to be completely out of whack for a few days. The longer this goes on for, the worse it gets in your life. When you sleep well, you are ready for another day. Good sleep will help to boost your energy levels, increase your happiness levels, and reduce the stress in your body.
Walking helps to wear out your body* and your mind a little more throughout the day. This is especially important if you sit at your desk all day. Think about children and how they have a lot of energy. As adults, we do too, and your body needs to keep moving, even if your mind says otherwise. Get out and you’ll find that sleep is much easier for you.
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Have you tried walking more to improve your health? What have you found is good about it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
