5 Reasons Why Walking is Not for Sissies.

A lot of people have asked me recently if I thought walking was a good exercise. In high school, I used to walk with my mother and the family dog. I walked 6 miles a day, did the Cindy Crawford workout video 3 times a week, and watched what I ate and soon, I was in the best shape of my young life. I’m here to say, “Walking ain’t for sissies!” Here are 5 reasons why.

Walking is a good low impact exercise for beginners and people with injuries.

Walking is great for beginners. If you have not been active in a while, walking is great to get you motivated for more rigorous activity. If you are injured or just coming back from surgery, walking is your best bet. Just walk for at least 30 minutes to reap the best benefits.

Lose or maintain weight by walking.

Did you know that you can lose a considerable amount of weight just by walking? Walking briskly at least 5 days a week at 30 minutes a session will give you massive gains (I mean losses). Once you master a basic routine, you can kick it up a notch by walking a longer distance at a faster pace. Apply the talk test to see how much you are actually working. If you can talk in complete sentences, you are not working hard enough. Other ways to increase intensity is walking hills, walking intervals, and using light weights.

Walking strengthens your bones and muscles.

I love running, but let’s face it. Running can wear your joints down. To prevent this from happening, it is good to take a break sometimes from running to walking. Walking is a sneaky way to build and shape muscles. If you spent a month on a regular walking routine, you would notice the muscles in your glutes, hamstring, quads, and calves would be built. You are also able to get a great core workout as well. In addition to muscle building, it improves your balance and coordination.

Walking brings you closer to your loved ones.

Walking is great to form bonds. Whether you are father and son, mother and daughter, siblings, or a couple. If you incorporate walking as a together activity, your bond will be stronger. In high school, my mother and I used to walk together. We became really close as a result. One reason is we shared walking as a common interest. We were able to talk most of the time. If I had a concern, I could bring it up and we kept everything on a positive note. I also learned a little competition trying to keep up with her.

Walking is great for your brain.

It is no secret that working out releases endorphins that naturally put you in a good mood. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression by increasing the blood flow in your brain. It improves memory function and inspires creativity. I love walking in areas that have lots of old trees. I listen to piano composers like Paul Cardall and Myleene Klass and just start to create. To quote Stephanie Blozy, the founder of Fleet Feet, “As you walk, your whole body wakes up - especially your mind.” So, break out those shoes and just put one foot in front of the other and walk right out of your front door.