Healthy Bodies

All walking is beneficial, but for the greatest benefits to heart, lungs and blood pressure, brisk is best. You should be breathing a little faster, feeling a little warmer and can feel your heart beating a little faster, but you still feel comfortable and are able to talk.

Regular brisk walking will

Improve performance of the heart, lungs and circulation.
Lower blood pressure.
Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and strokes – inactive and unfit people have double the risk of dying from CHD.

Walking regularly at any speed will

Help manage weight.
Reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes - active people have between a third and a half less chance of developing this than inactive people – and help control it once established.
Reduce the risk of certain cancers: active people have 40-50% lower risk of developing colon cancer than inactive people, and lower risks of developing breast and lung cancer.
Improve flexibility and strength of joints, muscles and bones, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Increase “good”cholesterol.
Boost the immune system.

Find out more about walking to control weight.

Walking more helps reduce the time you spend being inactive – for example sitting down and watching TV. Doctors now agree that too much time spent sitting is bad for your health even if you’re otherwise relatively active.

Walking can also help improve mood, reduce anxiety, aid sleep and improve self-image: read more about the mental health benefits of walking.

Overall, regular walkers are likely to live longer and enjoy a better quality of life.

More facts about walking

In taking just one step, you use over 200 muscles.
Walking 1 mile/1.6km in 20 minutes can burn up at least 100kcal/420kJ of energy, as much as swimming for 10 minutes, playing football for 12 minutes or doing aerobics for 16 minutes.
Walking 2 miles/3.2km a day, 4 times a week, can help reduce weight by 0.5kg/1 pound every month.
Walking a mile burns around the same amount of calories as running a mile, although of course it takes longer.
Walking, like running, cycling, swimming and aerobics, is an aerobic exercise which helps your heart and lungs learn to use oxygen more efficiently. Regular brisk walkers will find they’re less often short of breath and are more energetic.

Find out more about why walking is the best form of physical activity for most people.

Filed under: Benefits of Walking
Tagged: calories, fitness, health, lose weight, mental health, Ramblers, walk, Walking, weight loss, wellbeing
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