The Benefits of Walking

Most people are moving less and less nowadays and it is taking a toll on their health. More and more, people are sitting behind computers, phones, or gaming systems for work or during their free time, and it could be increasing their disease risk. Can taking a daily walk really improve your health? The answer is yes, and here a few ways 7000 steps can make a big difference:

1. It eases joint pain by lubricating and strengthening the muscles that support the joints.
2. It can boost your mood by lowering anxiety and depression. According to a study published by PubMed you would need to walk a total of 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week. If 30 minutes seems like too much at once, you can break it up into 10 minutes sessions 3 times a day, 3 days a week.
3. It can increase your energy more effectively than a cup of coffee! Walking increases oxygen flow throughout the body.
4. It can extend your life. According to a study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine walking a brisk pace (4 miles per hour) can reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer by up to 24 percent.
5. Walking an average of 7000 steps a day over the course of a week can also lead to fat loss.

If adding a walk to your weekly routine seems overwhelming because your schedule is already jammed packed consider these simple suggestions:

1. Get up once every hour and move for 5-10 minutes.
2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Pace while you are making phone calls.
4. Use part of your lunch hour to take a short walk.
5. Partner up with a colleague for accountability and motivation.
6. Park as far as possible from the building when running errands.
7. On the weekend take a 30 minute walk before you sit down to watch your favorite series on Netflix.