Walking is a simple and free form of exercise which is often overlooked, but arguably one of the most effective ways of getting active, losing weight and feeling healthier.
According to the NHS, doing a brisk walk for 10-20 minutes a day can help with getting enough exercise to count towards people’s regular 150 minutes of exercise a week, often recommended by the NHS.
With walking, a lot of it ties into going out into exploring local areas. Walk out into town, go into nearby forests, or explore places that you have never been into in order to see new sights.
Walking is mainly only for short distances, but there are some reasons why walking is often preferred over the idea of driving a car or riding a bike, as it can save money, it can ensure that you can keep fit. Walking can be also more accessible in the way that you can do it almost anywhere, indoors, in the gym or out in the countryside.
According to https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/walking-10k-steps-a-day-fact-fiction It’s often recommended to take 10,000 steps a day when you are walking to see any forms of benefit. The idea of walking 10,000 steps a day comes from a hugely successful marketing campaign launched ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The number was chosen because the Japanese character for 10,000 resembles a person walking, and the idea caught on.
This brilliant ad campaign saw a relatively arbitrary number become the global standard for step tracking. It’s important to remember that this number doesn’t apply to everyone. Research suggests that this can give a variety of benefits, including;
- This is the optimal dose for lowering the risk of dementia by 50%, and can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression
- This will reduce knee and joint pain in individuals with arthritis
- According to research, there is a possibility of a lower risk of premature death with walking.
- Research shows that there is a link between walking and improved mental clarity and creative flow of ideas.
The average adult takes around 5,000 steps a day, so making the jump up to 10,000 steps a day will be very challenging, but very much possible.
Walking also has a major benefit with people’s all-around mental and physical well-being. A study published online Nov. 28, 2023, by the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that picking up the pace of your daily walk – the faster, the better – is linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes. Walking upwards of 3-4 mph lowers the risk of diabetes by 24% and 39% respectively. Brisk walking does help you control blood sugar levels, weight and cardiovascular health, which are all very important for helping to try to avoid diabetes.
Emyr, someone who has changed his life around has this to say about walking.
“The main reason I got myself back out walking daily was to improve my health, being diabetic was the last straw for me with it being hereditary as some of my family members also suffer with the condition.”
“I’m feeling a lot healthier, walking on average 2 – 3 miles daily, losing weight whilst enjoying the great outdoors. “
There are also plenty of apps tied to encouraging you to keep walking, which I found from the BHF website
- Fitbit App Mobile Tracker
- Walkmeter GPS
- Nike Run Club
- Strava
Do you have any experience with walking as a form of exercise? Please put any further advice in the comments below!
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