Benefits of Walking

The Benefits of Walking are varied and many and can have a very positive effect on your stress level, your mood, help you to manage depression, manage your weight, help anxiety, lower your risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, lower your cholesterol and increase bone density and strength.

The reason that walking gives you all of these benefits has to do with the way your body handles low levels of exercise for extended periods. When you exercise, regardless of the type of exercise or the duration, your muscles tissue will become torn on a microscopic level. These small rips in the muscle tissue are completely normal. Your body, to combat the damage, goes to work to repair the muscle. One of the first things that your body will do is to release Endorphins and Serotonin. These two chemicals cause you to feel happy, they are your bodies own personal form of pain killers and mood enhancers. So this helps you to naturally lower your stress level.



The next thing your body will do to combat the small rips in your muscle tissue is to repair the muscle tissue by making your muscles stronger and bigger. So the more you walk the easier it will become, and the longer you will be able to walk without issues.

Walking also increases your heart rate, even just a slow walk will raise your heart rate above it's normal resting heart rate which will allow your body to lower your cholesterol levels, and strengthen your heart. It also helps to clear up your respiratory system and allow you to breathe more easily and deeply, which in turn will allow you to be more active. The increased heart rate will also help you to burn calories and loose weight.

Even just 5 minutes a day is great for your body but to truly see the benefits of walking you need to try and walk 30 to 60 minutes a day at least 5 times a week. If you can only make 5 minutes a day to begin with that's perfectly fine, you will be able to go longer as time goes on. You also do not have to go fast, go at whatever pace feels good for you and increase your pace whenever you feel ready.

As always though, you should consult your doctor before you start any new exercise program! Also be sure to drink lots of water to replace what you will sweat off!