The benefits of walking are vast, not only does it help your overall physical fitness it is great for your mental health. Even a brisk 10 minute walk a day can have amazing health benefits. A brisk walk that raises your heart rate, makes you warm and slightly breathless is a great form of aerobic exercise. Doing this regularly helps you to get fitter so you will find it easier to be more active.
Walking can help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and stroke. Walking for just an hour a day will help you lose weight, build stamina, reduce risk of cancer and also make you feel amazing! Some research suggests that expending the same amount of energy brisk walking is just as effective as running for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Walking is great for your mental health and well being and has been proven to help raise your mood, reduce your stress levels and also provide mental and emotional satisfaction. Many people have reported that walking has kept their anxiety and depression under control and improved their confidence.
Walking is also great for the environment, leaving your car at home and walking to work will vastly help the environment as well as helping you get fitter. Even doing it once or twice a week if you can will help reduce pollution. Walking to the pub instead of getting a taxi, walking your children to school instead of driving and even walking to the shop for a couple of essentials also greatly helps the environment.
So get outside and start enjoying life!