Spring is actually here, finally! It is time to get out and do one of simplest, cheapest, most rewarding exercises ever …
Take a walk!
According to the American Heart Association,
There are countless physical activities out there, but walking has the lowest dropout rate of them all! It’s the simplest positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health.
Research has shown that the benefits of walking and moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day can help you:
- Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
- Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
- Improve blood lipid profile
- Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity
- Enhance mental well being
- Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
- Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer
- Reduce the risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes
Just being able to get outside is liberating, isn’t it?
Look for signs of spring – flowers coming up, buds on trees. Enjoy the longer days.
I find that taking a walk relieves stress and helps me clear my mind.
When my daughter is here, we love to take a walk after dinner. We almost always run into people and stop and talk along the way. The dog gets his exercise, and we have time to unwind and talk. She is on her own now, but continues the nightly walk with her boyfriend when the weather is nice. And thinking about it, it was my grandmother that started me on the evening walk habit. You could be starting your own family legacy!
When I worked at the mall, we had the early morning mall walkers. There were all kinds of people. there is a Cancer Center not too far away. They would send patients over to walk the mall. There were people walking for health. There were people walking to lose weight. There was one little lady who cracked me up. She cut her walking down to a couple times a week because she had lost too much weight!
My sister and her boyfriend have lost a lot of weight since they got their dog.
There really are so many benefits for such a simple activity!
Many people don’t like the idea of walking alone. You can go with a friend, take your kid(s), or walk the dog. If you are walking alone, you can listen to music to audio books – just be sure to be aware of your surroundings.
This is the perfect time to get started if you are out of shape. You want to take it slow at first. Make it a point to get out and walk on nice days.
