Summer….a great time to take a walk.
I treasure my morning walks. There is just something about being outside and the rhythm of walking that is relaxing and energizing to me. I listen to podcasts or to the birds. Some days it is just the dogs and me; other days, my husband, daughter or friends join me. Either way it is therapeutic.
Walking is also a good form of exercise, and a daily walk has many other health benefits.
- Helps with weight management. Taking a daily walk can help you stay in shape—and if you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s a low-impact way to ease into exercise. If you combine your daily walk with a sensible diet, like consuming fewer simple carbs and replacing soda with water, the walk can be surprisingly beneficial for weight loss.
- Accessible to anyone, anywhere.
- Doesn’t require any equipment. Of course, a good pair of walking shoes does help J.
- Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Lowers low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
- Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (good cholesterol).
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Helps maintain strong bones.
- Reduces stress.
- Maintains lean muscle tissue.
- Perfect time to visit with a spouse or friend.
For a walk to be most beneficial, you should get your heart rate up and sustained for a minimum of 15 minutes. Of course, if you can squeeze in 30-45 minutes, that is even better.
More than one-third of the adults in the United States are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And, over the years, that number hasn’t been getting 
better…it’s been getting worse. And obesity can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and much more.
But, taking a daily walk can help you stay in shape—and if you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s a low-impact way to ease into exercise. If you combine your daily walk with a sensible diet, like consuming fewer simple carbs and replacing soda with water, the walk can be surprisingly beneficial for weight loss. On top of that, walking can also elevate mood and alleviate stress.