The Numerous Benefits of Walking

by Michael Sahno, MS APK, TSAC-F

Sometimes I hate to get up. I love my chair, and the wonders that are spoon-fed to me by my YouTube recommendations generally make me want to stay put. What’s weird though is that I also LOVE to be outside. Doesn’t matter the weather (even though I’m partial to a sunny day) I like being outside. In nature (I’m NOT a hippy). I just have trouble getting myself there.

As I wrote in the intro for this edition, we just got back from vacation. A vacation that turned out to be a WALKING vacation. There was a ton to see, but in order to actually see and experience it, we had to walk. A lot. About four hours every single day. Needless to say, I lost five pounds.

WHAT!?! I know, your saying that it can’t be true, but it is. I also ate like a horse. Burgers. Fried seafood. I even had Philly cheese steak fries! Lost weight. No lie. Why? Because we walked. A lot.It turns out that walking has an ENORMOUS effect on your metabolism. And if its in the heat (like it was on our vacation), then that bumps it up even more. Just by taking a walk you can improve your mood, burn calories and maintain a healthy weight, improve heart health, reduce risk of chronic diseases, reduce stress, improve sleep, boost brain power, alleviate joint pain, delay the onset of varicose veins, stimulate your digestive system, kick-start your immune system, protect your bones, enhance your creativity,help you to attain your goals, and it can boost your longevity.

I’m not making all of these claims up. They are all laid out in an article called, 15 Major Benefits of Walking, According to Experts,written by Madeleine Haase and Jenn Gonick for Prevention Magazine. The research and testimony for this article was incredibly well done and I encourage anyone who reads this to also read that article and its sources.

Because of my breakthrough on vacation and the data I found in this article I have decided to start adding walking to my weekly exercise schedule. We are all made to move through space. It’s why we have two legs. It’s why the muscles in those legs are designed to engage in long, steady-state, low-impact activities. Like walking.

For me, I put on a backpack and head down the hill outside of my front door and just meander until I reach the river at the bottom.Then I turn around and come back up that hill. Not super-fast, but at a leisurely pace, with my headphones on. It brings me peace and contentment. You should try it. Like, now. Pretend your parents are telling you to “get out of the house”. Enjoy!