5 Benefits of Walking
Today is National Walking Day! The one day each year where we get up and WALK!
Okay, hopefully, if we're capable of walking, we all walk more than once per year. Seriously, if you're not walking on a pretty regular basis, you should probably start.
To commemorate the day, we've decided to list some of the benefits of walking
1. Walking improves weight management and weight loss
Walking increases blood flow and caloric expenditure, which leads to more burned calories during a day! Just be warned, if your goal is to lose weight, try not to reward your walk with a snack that will erase that caloric deficit!
2. Walking strengthens bones and muscles
When we walk, we use our legs and core muscles--adding blood flow through the tissues and promoting healthy muscle. Just like muscle, our bones respond to physical activity by becoming stronger!
3. Walking enhances your mood
Walking releases endorphins into the body. These endorphins lead to better feelings and a decrease in anger and hostility.
4. Walking sparks creativity
A study published in 2014 noted that walking increases a person's creative output by an average of 60%. The study was conducted by Stanford researchers and published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition.
5. Walking reduces the risks of certain chronic diseases
Multiple studies have shown a correlation between walking and the reduction/prevention of certain chronic diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
There you have it! Five great reasons to get out and walk! Maybe we'll even see you out there!
Sources
American Heart Association: newsroom.heart.org/news/walking-can-lower-risk-of-heart-related-conditions-as-much-as-running
Neurology: www.neurology.org/content/early/2010/10/13/WNL.0b012e3181f88359.short
National Institutes of Health: www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149726
AACR: cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/10/1906.short
American Heart Association: www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/Walking/Why-Walking_UCM_461770_Article.jsp
Everyday Health: www.everydayhealth.com/news/can-six-thousand-steps-a-day-keep-knee-arthritis-at-bay
Stroke: stroke.ahajournals.org/content/41/6/1243