Straight off I have to admit that I stole a lot of the ideas
for this post! I read an article a while back about walking that blew my mind
and I just had to share what I had learnt with you! Walking is probably the
most ancient exercise out there and also the most taken for granted, so much so
that here in naija walking long distances is considered a form of suffering and
not the great beneficial exercise it really is.
Did you know that you can burn approximately 200 extra calories
every day from a brisk 30 minute walk? That is a pace of about 1.5kilometers in
16 minutes. Do this for 5 days a week and you will get the benefits, I
guarantee it! If you think walking is a boring waste of time then you need to
have a serious rethink, walking will help heal stiffness and aches in your
muscles after an intense workout.
Before you ever “worked out” you were walking, when people
who are extremely overweight try to lose weight the first exercise recommended
to them is walking. This is because walking is low impact on the joints, light
on the heart and extremely effective in losing weight in large people. If you
live in a city like Lagos or Abuja, then you really need to walk! The sedentary
life of the average city dweller causes a whole lot of harm and one of the
reasons why obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure is on the rise in our
dear country.
WALK AWAY YOUR STRESS:
Apart from being a wonderful exercise walking serves another
great role as stress relief. In our modern stress filled world with its demands
for instant attention and instant gratification, gadgets that are supposed to
make life easier but end up taking more of your time, family and work demands,
it’s really hard to be alone with yourself.
If you are stressed out or upset, a long walk can do you a world of
good. Take the walk time to relax, observe the world around you and make
important decisions without external distractions.
Walking also helps you to be
mindful of your body; you can learn a lot about your physical condition while
you walk. Observe yourself! Do I walk light or heavy? Do I breathe heavy? Is my
gait solid or shaky? Do I walk straight or slouch? Chest out or hunched? You
can do a lot to correct your body while walking, and boost your appearance and
confidence level. I walk a lot, and I do a monster 16km walk with some friends
every Saturday and guess what? I love it!
Now you don’t have to go extreme like I do, but just look
for 150 minutes a week to exercise your body, surely you can? And if you say
no, I challenge you to find out how much time you spend on facebook, youtube
and whatsapp in a week!
The best thing about walking is that its free, no gym
membership, no personal trainer, no special equipment. Just you and a
comfortable pair of trainers.
Below are some tips for getting more steps out of your day:
1. Stop taking the lift for 3 floors up or less.
2. Drop of and walk home from the bus stop before yours.
3. In the office, walk to the people you want to talk to,
cut your use of the messenger service and phones by half.
4. Avoid driving as much as possible in your neighbourhood,
walk as much as possible when running errands at home.
4B. Run as many errands as you can by yourself!
5. Walk more in the evenings, to relax from the stress of
the day.
6. If you own a dog, walk it yourself!
Thanks and do have a wonderful weekend!
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