Walking is the most studied form of exercise. Multiple studies have proven that walking is the best way to improve overall health. Walking 30 minutes a day or more on most days of the week is one of the best ways to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), walking is the most popular form of aerobic physical activity in the U.S.
Benefits of walking:
- Improves heart health
- Develop and maintain bone health
- Reduce blood pressure
- Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes
- Improved cholesterol levels
- Better longevity
- Decrease your stress levels
- Better memory and cognitive function
Walking for exercise needs more than a 10-minute-per-week commitment, but according to a verywellfit article, only 53% of Americans meet the physical activity guidelines provided by health experts. If you want to gain all the benefits of this exercise, you need to make a plan for walking based on expert guidelines. However, keep in mind that before starting any kind of new fitness program, particularly if you are over 40, are overweight, or haven’t exercised in a long time, you should see your doctor for a medical check-up.
If you are going to begin walking for exercise, you can opt to walk indoors or outdoors. Both have their own benefits:
| Indoor Walking | Outdoor Walking | If you live in a region with air pollution, this is the better option. | Brisk outdoor walking helps you relax as you exercise. | With a treadmill, you won’t have to spend time looking for terrains to walk on or checking weather forecasts. | There’s a tendency to burn more calories when you walk outdoors. As the treadmill handles some of the work, you have no wind resistance. | Treadmills display time, distance, calories burned and heart rate. The machine puts less strain on the joints compared to walking on outdoor trails. | Exposure your skin to the sun produces vitamin D. Getting just 10 to 15 minutes of sun on the arms and legs a few times a week can provide all the vitamin D the body needs. | A treadmill offers your muscles just a basic workout and is a wonderful way to burn calories and. | You have fun watching other people. It improves your mood. |
Both indoor and outdoor walking offer huge health benefits. Depending on your workout intensity, both of these environments allow you to burn calories. Aim to walk 30 minutes a day, but if you can’t manage this, remember that it’s better than nothing!
