8 Benefits Of Walking

Like most working adults, I spend a lot of time sitting behind a computer. Hours during the day, and more hours at night. And unfortunately, I have become to sedentary in my life. I am also rounding out my mid thirties, so between the two I feel very blah when it comes to my overall physical health.  

This year, I have committed to doing the Disney Princess Family 5K with my daughter. But right now running isn’t even an option for me. I can barely run to my mailbox. So I am starting my training by walking. With my daughters by my side to encourager nag me to go for a walk, I am certain that I can shake the blahs, get more active and enjoy the benefits of walking.

10 Benefits Of Walking

Time With Someone Special – Walking with a friend helps keep you accountable and makes it more fun. Since a walk can be at any pace, it is easy to use a walk as a great time to catch up with a friend or learn more about what your child is doing in school. Outside in the fresh air, everyone becomes more relaxed and conversation flows. 

Build Stamina – Even though walking isn’t a high-impact workout, it is a great place to start on a path to health. My ultimate goal is to run, but first I need to get my legs moving and my heart rate up. Just like any new exercise routine, increasing regular activity will increase your stamina so that you can go further faster. 

Go Your Own Pace – Whether you are just starting out or you are ready to power through, taking a walk gives you the ability to set your own pace and get what you need out of the walk. That means there are no excuses on days you don’t feel 100% because you can just take it easy and go for a nice stroll. 

Set An Example – This is a big one for parents. For the sake of our children, we must show that we care about ourselves and our own health. By making walking a priority and talking about it with your kids, it opens the door to discussing fitness and overall health and wellbeing. Leading by example is the best way to teach kids how to take care of themselves.

Stress Buster – With a mile-long to-do list and a type-A personality, it is no wonder that I always feel stressed — pretty much all of the time. The thing about stress is that the more you think about it, the more stressed you become. Get away from your problems, go for a walk and clear your mind and change your perspective.

It’s Free – No need to pay anyone a monthly membership fee to go for a walk, and you don’t need anything special. Just throw on some comfy clothes and sneakers and you are set. All of these benefits 0f walking – for free. 

Overall Health – There are oddles of health reasons to get up and walk from weight management, to reducing cholesterol and increasing circulation the benefits are stacked up. Really there are no reasons no to walk, so take a walk and reap the health benefits of walking. 

Walk Out On Wednesdays

In March I joined the Omron Wellness challenge to Walk out on Wednesdays. The idea was to get out at least one Wednesday a month to walk with a friend. My little friends and I decided to up the challenge and walk every Wednesday, and we have been loving it. There are so many benefits of walking, why not? 

Thanks to the Alvita activity tracker (just $45!) we all like checking out how many steps we have taken and how far we have gone. I like the ability to sync the results to my phone to see our progress. And we are making progress. On our first walk, K trailed behind me most of the walk. On this last walk, she lead the way (all 1.4 miles) skipping and running. 

Wednesday number three, 30 minutes and 1.4 miles. 

We plan to keep up our weekly walks for all of the reasons above. Will you join me to Walk out on Wednesdays?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Omron. The opinions and text are all mine.