A crippling and life-threatening disease
Walking for 30 minutes a day is a fantastic way to improve or maintain your overall health.
Most babies take their first steps sometime between nine and 12 months, and are walking well by the time they're 14 or 15 months old.
Regular brisk walking can help keep that extra weight off.
Walking is a multi-sensory experience: when you stride out your brain is being used in multiple ways to read the world in all its shapes, forms, sounds, and feelings.
Getting out and about can strengthen bones and muscles.
The more you walk the more improvement you'll see in balance and coordination.
A daily stroll can lower stress levels and improve your mood.
Think about it. Walking allows us to hold hands, which is a beautiful, intimate gesture. Go on and enjoy the moment.
Walking is holistic: every aspect of putting one foot in front of the other aids every aspect of one's being.
Aim to take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break. It'll quickly become a habit. Then set a new goal. Start walking for 20 minutes, perhaps with colleagues. It's all about motivation.
The faster, farther, and more frequently you walk, the greater the overall health benefits.
Start logging distance and increase your intensity. This way you can keep track of your progress and build up a fitness plan.
For optimum effect, turn your normal walk into a fitness stride—lift your head up while keeping your neck, shoulders, and back relaxed. Swing your arms freely with a slight bend at the elbows.
Make walking part of your family lifestyle. If you have kids, take them out on long, leisurely strolls.
If your busy lifestyle means it's too difficult or inconvenient to walk 30 minutes a day, do regular small bouts of 10 minutes a day and gradually build up to longer sessions.
Most kids need little incentive to walk. If you encourage youngsters to go out and about at at early age, chances are they'll grow up taking exercise in their stride.
Walking can help prevent or manage various conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type two diabetes.
Walking can encourage better memory and cognitive function.
Walking with others can turn an ordinary stroll into a memorable social occasion.
Instead of doing a 30-minute walk at the same moderate pace, try high-intensity interval training.
Get the right gear. Choose shoes with proper arch support, a firm and solid heel, and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Good shoes like this will cost a bit, but it's worth the extra expenditure.
Walking helps you discover more about the world around you. It promises types of experiences denied by other modes of transport.
Researchers have found that even walking for roughly three hours a week is associated with an 11% reduced risk of premature death compared with those who are generally inactive.
Walk as much as you can. If possible, skip the bus or train and use two feet to get to work.
Walk smoothly by rolling your feet from heel to toe.
Those who accumulate at least 15,000 steps a day generally have healthier BMIs (body mass index), smaller waists, and lower cholesterol.
If you can't manage 30 minutes a day, remember that even a short stroll is better than nothing.
If walking outdoors, choose a proper course to follow. Avoid cracked paths or those peppered with potholes.
Here's an interesting fact: if you walked a slow, 5 km (3.10 miles) per day for 300 days, you'd travel 1,500 km (932 miles). Do that over a few years and you'd cover many thousands of miles.
You can walk just about anywhere, and the beach is a favorite location. As well as benefiting from physical exercise, walking near the ocean means breathing in fresh, salt-laced sea air, which is excellent for the respiratory system.
It's a fact: walking is one of the best ways to maintain or improve your overall health. You can lose weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress just by walking 30 minutes a day, every day. Do this regularly—whether it's up a hill, down to the park, or simply to school or work—and you'll be on the road to a healthier and happier you.
Browse the gallery, take one step forward, and start walking your way to fitness.
The health benefits of walking
Today is Walking Day
HEALTH Wellness
It's a fact: walking is one of the best ways to maintain or improve your overall health. You can lose weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress just by walking 30 minutes a day, every day. Do this regularly—whether it's up a hill, down to the park, or simply to school or work—and you'll be on the road to a healthier and happier you.
Browse the gallery, take one step forward, and start walking your way to fitness.