I'm Walking

My story:

For over a year, I walked every day for a couple of hours. No, I did not do that out of the bottom of my heart. I did it for a job delivering flyers and it was mandatory if I wanted money in my pocket. I did not realize the benefits of it until after, as I shed pounds, gained endurance, and toned muscle I never thought was possible before. All summer, all autumn, and throughout the winter months, I walked. I never complained. I simply got used to it. To this day, it still surprises me and I am proud to say that I have done this for over a year and a half!

For you:

The benefits of walking do not have to go the extremes I had put myself through. You can add it to your routine, even if it's just for twenty minutes a day a couple of times a week. You do not have to push yourself too hard see results faster. You just start at your own pace. After all, you are not me. You are your own person.

Let me give you more insight about the health benefits of walking.

Heart Health:

When you walk, you give your heart an advantage to get stronger without putting too much stress on it. Just walking for fifteen minutes is good enough for beginners. Just add five more minutes every week as a goal.

Blood Pressure:

Walking is good for your blood pressure, lowering high levels significantly. Maintaining a normal to optimal blood pressure puts less strain on your heart and therefore decreases your risk for stroke or a heart attack.

Improves Mood:

Are you in a bad mood? Had an argument with someone, or just riled up about something? Here is the perfect cure for that: go for a walk! It is proven that when you go for a walk while angry, it dissolves the anger away gradually. In other words, the more you walk, the more you will calm down. Whether you go for a twenty minute walk or even a forty-five minute walk, as soon as you feel better, composed, and yourself again, walking is the cure. How? The release of that feel-good hormone, endorphin, is activated and rushing all over in your head!

Improves Memory:

Unable to concentrate for your studies, or have that writer’s block for that big project or exam tomorrow? Instead of being anxious about it, put on your good walking shoes or runners and hit the pavement! As you walk, your mind will unwind and you will be able to have a clearer and calmer state of mind. By the time you get back inside, you will be all set to think with much more clarity.

Ways To Motivate Yourself!

If you are feeling lazy or just don’t want to go out for that walk, here are some ways to give you more anticipation to do so. They are simple methods that will not be too drastic of a change for you to be anxious about.

• Get off one bus stop earlier! This is a simple and effective method to add a few more steps on your commute. You can increase this by another bus stop and so forth as time goes on. If you are as ambitious as myself, you may even go to the length of eventually walking half an hour to work, school or wherever your destination may be.
• Detour to a grocery store or other place where you need to get something before you go to your destination. When you get to that place, you add steps to your routine and not really think about it as you go.
• Bring a friend! When you are walking with someone, you forget how much you can really do! I know when I have company with me and we are walking, the next thing we know is that we walked halfway across the city! You can even join a group, which are easy to find on the internet, as free walking clubs are everywhere these days. You will also have the bonus of finding new friends and having a new social circle!

So remember, walking is a fun activity! You can do it alone or with friends and even make new friends in this journey. You will be healthy and happy, and as you get stronger and may even go further to try new challenging activities as you get older!

I have moved on further to cycling and strength training in the weight room for my own ambitions. You follow on with your own! Pass this on and join me in my quest for healthier, better living!