The Benefits Of Walking

Wellness

Jan 8

I walk for 30-60 minutes most days of the week. I enjoy how walking makes me feel and love that it has been proven to have many fantastic health and wellness benefits. Today, I want to share some of the benefits of walking and how you can get the most out of your walking routine.

The Wellness Benefits of walking

Walking Is A Stress Reliever

I always feel happier and calmer after going for a long walk or a hike. Research has shown that walking releases brain chemicals called endorphins that stimulate relaxation and improve our mood (NDSU). I’ve personally experienced this. Walking can be a great time to get away with yourself and with God to think about life and pray.

I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks when I walk. The information sinks in a bit more because I can focus solely on the content while walking. I also love listening to worship music and singing when I walk. Whenever I start feeling stressed or tense, I try taking a 10-minute walk; to help me feel better.

Walking Can Help Manage Health Conditions

According to The American Heart Association, a regular walking routine of at least 150 minutes a week can help reduce and prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Regular walking can also improve your cardiovascular fitness. I make it a priority to walk 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week. I walk outside when it’s nice out on the treadmill if it’s too cold.

Walking Can Aid In Weight Loss

Combining a regular walking routine with a healthy diet has resulted in weight loss for people trying to lose weight. Even though walking is a low-intensity exercise, it still burns calories which can help put you in a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss. Over time if consistent, people can healthily lose weight and keep it off with a regular walking routine.

How To Get More Out Of Your Walking Routine

Use walking as time for personal growth

On your next walk, listen to a personal growth book or podcast. I love listening to podcasts on my walks. I feel like I can focus on the information being shared because I don’t have any other distractions. I can better contemplate how what I’m listening to applies to my life and how I can implement what’s being shared. Side note: If you’re walking outside, please be mindful of your environment and keep one earbud out for safety, or save this one for indoor walks.

Pray on your walks

Walking is a great time to pray and talk to God. To me, walking has become a sacred time away, and I always use a portion of the time I spend walking to pray. I talk to God and tell him what’s on my mind, ask him for what I need, and thank him for everything he’s already done. After spending time praying on a walk, I feel lighter and refreshed.

Use walking as a time to catch up with a friend

Reach out to a nearby friend and invite them to walk with you. This is a great way to catch up while doing something good for your health and well-being at the same time. I like to walk with friends, and I think it’s an excellent alternative to meeting for drinks or food all of the time. If possible, make it a weekly date to catch up.

Challenge yourself and set walking goals

Since walking is a regular part of my wellness routine, I sometimes find myself walking at an extremely leisurely pace. This is perfectly okay to do but to reap the health benefits, I try to pick up the pace and set a goal for walking.

According to The American Heart Association, “A regular walking routine of at least 150 minutes a week can help reduce and prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Regular walking can also improve your cardiovascular fitness.”

I try to keep my base pace at a speed of 3.5 (measured by my treadmill) or a power walk speed for the first half of my walk, and then I switch over to a slower pace in the second half. I also utilize the incline function on my treadmill to give myself even more of a challenge. Setting a goal for distance or steps motivates me to keep improving and showing up for my walks.

I hope this has given you some ideas of how to get the most out of walking; if it did, let me know in the comments, and let me know if there is anything you would add.

ITEMS TO HELP YOU START YOUR WALKING ROUTINE

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