We know exercise is important, but it doesn’t HAVE to be hitting the gym or sweating through a spin class to count. Going for a walk not only gets you out of the house for some fresh air, it can help with weight loss and more.
Dr. Amy Lee explains the good things that can happen to your body when you walk every day.
·It can improve your mental health - Following a regular walking schedule isn’t just good for your physical health, it gives you a mental health boost, too. Dr. Lee points out that it gives you a feeling of accomplishment, can lower daily stress levels, and releases natural endorphins, which leave you feeling good.
·It can help maintain weight - Trying to stay at a steady weight? It’s easier if you hit the right number of steps a day. Research has shown getting 10-thousand steps - which equals about the distance of five miles - can help with overall health and wellness.
·Add more steps if you’re trying to lose weight - Those 10-thousand steps are a good goal, but if you want to see the numbers on the scale go down, you’ll need to step it up to at least 15-thousand steps or add some intensity to those walks. Dr. Lee recommends:
Walk faster - Try to more distance in the same amount of time it usually takes you to walk 10-thousand steps.
Walk harder - Activate more muscle groups by swinging your arms, squeezing your glutes and swinging your hips when you walk.
Walk at an incline - Find a hill to walk to increase your cardio.
Walk with weights - Start with one-pound ankle or wrist weights and add more as time goes on.
Walk farther- Take as long as you want, just cover more distance.
·You’ll keep your bones and muscles strong - Dr. Lee and the Mayo Clinic agree that daily walks are an excellent exercise for keeping bones and muscles strong, which is even more important as you get older.
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