Walking as a Workout

Walking : Whenever we talk about the workout, we start thinking about aerobics, gym workout, yoga practice, etc., but walking is not considered a complete workout. However, walking can also massively benefit your physical and mental health. Here are a few advantages of walking –

• Walking helps you to maintain a healthy weight and loosen up your body fat
• It reduces stress
• It is good for your immune system
• It improves your balance and coordination
• It improves your mood, memory, cognition and sleeping
• It maintains your energy level and improves muscle endurance
• It provides strength to your bones and muscles and improves your cardiovascular fitness.
• It is also helpful in preventing many diseases, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

While walking, you should pay attention to your posture and walk correctly to receive the maximum benefits of this exercise. Your head should be up, and you should keep looking forward. Keep Your neck, shoulders, and back relaxed, and swing your arms freely with a little bend in your elbows. Make sure that your stomach muscles are a little tightened and your back is straight, not arched. Finally, it would help if you walked smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.

If you already know the benefits of walking and still find it challenging to pursue, then you should make conscious efforts and plan your walking routine. For this, you need to do a proper preparation that involves selecting the right shoes, choosing the right path and taking the help of a trainer if required. Wear loose and comfortable clothes so that you can enjoy the process. Before walking, do warm-up exercises for 5 to 10 minutes to prepare your muscles for walking, and at the end of your walk, reduce your speed for at least 5 to 10 minutes and allow your muscles to cool down, stretching before and after walking is a must to prevent you from any sprain or muscle injury.

In the initial period, start with a simple and short walk and then slowly increase it for a longer duration. It is not essential that you have to walk early in the morning or in the evening only, you can take a walk whenever you are prepared for it. But, during your walk, keep calm and do not engage in chit-chat with friends. If you fail to stay consistent with the process, do not get disheartened and start again. In those times, remind yourself of those experiences you had during your walk and then get back to it again.

You should keep a record of the number of steps you take and the distance you walk. This will help you track your progress and, in low times, encourage and motivate you to keep walking.