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There are always health claims flying around that seem too good to be true.
Taking fish oil prevents cognitive decline.
Whole grains reduce heart disease risk.
The Keto diet is the best way to lose weight and improve longevity.
All of these are a little bit true, but the devil is in the details and what works for one person doesn’t always work for another.
Some health trends are very hard to maintain long term, others are prohibitively expensive. Still others are just over exaggerations of cherry picked data.
But what if there was something nearly everyone could do on a daily basis, that improved cardiovascular and metabolic health, lowered inflammation, eased anxiety and depression, and promoted creativity?
And it’s free?
You’d probably think “nah, too good to be true. What’s the catch?”
No catch. It’s something you do already, just maybe not as much as you should.
C’mon, c’mon, what is it?!
Walking! We’re talking about walking.
Just plain ‘ol basic everyday picking your feet up and putting them down WALKING.
But wait, shouldn’t it be more complicated? Isn’t there an elaborate and expensive fitness plan? Pricey supplements to take? Restrictive dietary plan?
Nope. Just walking.
Look, we’re really good at making things way more complicated than they need to be. Of course what you eat is critical to your health, and lifting heavy things will pay dividends long into your golden years.
But if you are looking for that one thing with an incredibly long list of benefits and a very short list of costs, then walking is your answer.
The benefits of walking every day
Humans were designed to walk. Our brains need us to move around. Our bodies are set up in such a way that we are meant to get up and use long strides to get from point A to point B.
Your body WANTS to walk.
There has actually been a lot of research done on the effects of walking, especially on a modern sedentary population.
Besides being a biological birthright, walking every day can help solve many of the problems a sedentary lifestyle creates.
Walking lowers stress and improves symptoms of anxiety and depression. Quite a few studies have shown significant improvement of depression and other mental health issues by just walking every day.
Walking improves metabolic health. Regular, everyday walks especially before and after meals can help regulate glucose, keeping spikes down and insulin low.
Walking decreases the risk of heart health issues. Daily moderate-intensity walks have been shown to reduce blood pressure and strengthen the heart muscle, while also helping to improve weight and body composition.
Walking lowers risk for all-cause mortality. With improvements to cardiovascular and metabolic health, it’s no surprise that walking in general lowers the risk for dying of any cause, particularly of modern chronic diseases by 32% or more.
Walking improves creativity and focus. One of the best things to do when you are stuck on a problem or having trouble focusing is to take a walk. Many of history’s greatest minds like Einstein, Kant and even Steve Jobs used regular walks to “unlock” their best ideas or solve complicated problems.
Walking can improve your sleep. Not only does walking use energy and reduce stress, both good things for sleep, but taking a walk in the evening or at night can help your circadian rhythms tell your body it is time for bed.
Walking keeps you young. Your body gets good at what you make it do every day. If you make it sit all the time, it gets good at that. If you keep it moving the way it was designed, you’ll have fewer issues with mobility as you age.
So, obviously a bunch of benefits from just walking. But how much should you walk? When should you walk? How often?
How much and how often should you walk?
How much should you walk? General rule of thumb based on studies is to get a minimum of 7,500 steps a day, and more if possible.
How often should you walk? It’s actually better to spread those 7,500+ steps around the whole day rather than taking a long walk in the morning and then sitting the rest of the day. Aim for several walks a day, and don’t forget about walking to get the mail or going to the store.
When should you walk? Walk whenever you can! Break up your day with several walks. If possible, walk in the morning to get energized, walk before dinner to tamp down your appetite and after dinner to lower your blood sugar spike.
One last thing: If you want to level up your walking game, throw a heavy backpack on next time you step out for a stroll. Rucking gives you the benefits of walking, but on steroids. Plus, it helps strengthen your back, hips, legs, knees and shoulders and burns more calories than walking alone.
If you missed my Ruck Around and Find Out fitness challenge, don’t worry, I’ll host another soon!
A big part of my program is helping you fit activities like walking into your day, however works best for you.
I want to use every tool in the toolbox to help you conquer depression and anxiety, boost your energy and lose the brain fog you’ve been struggling with.
If that sounds like something you want help with, I’ve got a spot in my program with your name on it.
Ready? Let’s go!
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