The Power of walking

Walking is the most underrated fitness hack. It gives you energy, calms your mind, gives you ideas, improves your mood, and helps you lose weight. Walk 7-10K steps every day to reap the benefits.

When I was growing up, we trekked everywhere. It wasn’t so much out of choice as out of poverty. We trekked to school. We trekked back home. We trekked to church. Unless it was out of town … it was trekkable.

Now I’m an adult. Trekking is supposed to mean longer walks. E.g the Israelites going away from the desert in the Bible. And walking is the general process of moving with your legs.

But the power and benefits of walking don’t just come from the simple process of moving your legs, say from one chair to another or from your table to your bed.

It comes when you combine mindfulness with moving your body. Light exercise will get your heart rate up, your blood pumping; this helps clear your mind of the junk thoughts and help you refocus.

💪While it may not give instant results when it comes to staying in shape, exercise contributes to your fitness over the long term and how you feel at the moment.

People who walk for at least 30 minutes a day or for at least 2000 steps daily are generally healthier and have a lower incidence of heart problems and a lower mortality rate compared to the rest.

9 Benefits of walking i found

1: Boost your mood

Walking in nature is known to boost your mood as you’re exposed to natural lights and fresher air. Plus the endorphin rush that comes with any form of exercise.

I awoke yesterday with poor sleep quality, as well as having stayed up late unnecessarily. After eating and doing some chores, the only thing that came to mind was to walk.

I walked a short distance to a nearby library before returning home. Boom. My mood was better, and I was able to have a short siesta. Compare this with sitting in front of a screen when you’re not feeling well; you’d be more irritated before the end of the day.

2: Better sleep at night

When I experienced my first and major incidence of burnout, my sleep routine was terrible. I would go to bed early and most painfully have low-quality sleep as the smallest sound or noise could wake me up.

Apart from having a structured exercise routine – one major thing that was lacking in my life at that moment was movement.

Since I started walking as a habit again, it’s easier to get physically tired during the day and have better quality of sleep back home to recover. A study found out that within-persons, on days that participants were more active than average, they reported better sleep quality and duration in both genders

3: Low-risk injuries

Everyone can benefit from walking and the low risk of injuries associated with it.

This is especially important for older people/chronically ill people, who may not be strong enough to participate in other vigorous forms of exercise.

Walking is a great addition to your standard exercise routine or an alternative to difficult ones.

4: Walking can help you lose weight

According to a study by Duke University, even if you do nothing but reduce your sitting time and add walking time, you will lose weight.

This is because reducing your sitting time reduces insulin resistance, which causes weight gain.

5: Easy way to be Frugal

Coming from a family that was never financially bouyant i can tell you walking was a priceless asset.

So if you’re in anyway trying to be frugal even if you have enough – there’s no harm taking up some walking challenges on a few occasions.

6: Long-term health benefit

I heard once in a podcast that two main physical indicators of good health as you get older are:

  • Walking speed
  • Muscle mass

It makes sense, as walking daily can help improve immune system function as well as decrease stress levels.

Over time, this gives you an edge, as you’re less likely to fall sick easily and less likely to die from ill health when you walk more.

7: Complements your exercise routine

Walking is originally more of a physical activity than an exercise routine.

So it doesn’t matter what your exercise routine looks like—walking is a great complement in addition to all other benefits.

8: Clears your mind and anxiety

Most people have anxiety because they’re stressed and unwilling to make decisions.

Walking can help you clear your mind and make better decisions.

9: Better Writing

All the good writers I know give much credit to walking as a key to increasing creativity and letting ideas flow.

Clearing your mind, decreasing stress, and getting you to think in motion should be part of it.

Walking allows your mind to wander and helps unleash your creativity.

Ideas can come to you from every angle, even from the most unexpected of places, making it a great way to come up with new and innovative ideas.

10: CONCLUSION

Walking as a habit is a lifehack, and walking in nature allows you to reconnect with the natural world, boosting your mental and physical wellbeing.

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