On Saturday, I logged a total of 23,882 steps on the step counter app on my phone. Though some may not deem it impressive, beating my daily average of 16,000 steps was my goal and to conquer that, I walked everywhere I went throughout the day, regardless of the distance or the time it took to get to a destination.
To say that I was exhausted by the end is an understatement, but I enjoyed every step, just as I had since I made it a daily habit to walk at least 30 minutes a day since 2014. From my experience, I believe that walking daily, especially for long distances, is among the best healthy habits that one can form. Why do I think so?
The health benefits
Just like many of us in the modern world, a good portion of my time is spent sitting and staring at a screen for long periods of time. Whether for work or leisure, life almost certainly revolves around a screen of some kind. If you are like me and want to get some exercise, lessen your screen time and avoid a completely sedentary lifestyle, then walking is a great solution. It is the activity that has helped in maintaining my weight, getting better sleep and has overall helped in making my body feel healthy. Although I’ve seen these effects, some might wonder if walking is intense enough as an exercise.
“Walking often gets a bad rap as being not intense enough to create real change or a cop-out from more effective forms of exercise”, according to a Today website article by personal trainer and weight loss coach Stephanie Mansour, going on to say that this stereotype is untrue. The article points out that aside from being a comfortable and familiar form of exercise that can be done anywhere and without equipment, taking consistent walks may improve heart health and reduce body fat, with even just 30 minutes a day also aiding in weight loss and fitness goals. I also believe that walking, just like any other form of exercise, can be adjusted or modified based on what you need or prefer.
Other health benefits that one can reap from this activity are suggested in a website article from EatingWell, which notes health benefits such as improving blood sugar, helping with heart health, improving fertility and even reducing dementia risk, among others.
Alleviating stress and anxiety
Walking has not only been good for my physical health, but also for my mental health. There is relief to be found in taking a walk if you ever feel anxious about something, have a lot on your mind or just need an outlet after a long and stressful day. The activity offers a chance for peace, being helpful in thinking clearly and generally being at ease. If one wants a break from thinking of anything at all, there might be nothing better than taking a long walk while listening to music instead of the thoughts that might be bothering you.
A VeryWell Fit website article further notes that taking daily walks may help with improving one’s overall mental health and increase the frequency of positive moods. Moreover, it may also help with reducing depression symptoms when walking outside and getting some sunlight. Although helpful in reducing stress and anxiety, shorter walks may not affect anxiety symptoms as much as longer walks and other activities like jogging or running, the article said. Needless to say, even shorter walks can still be helpful in my opinion.
If you want a good form of exercise, a way to alleviate stress and anxiety, as well as even have an opportunity for exploration, then I highly recommend taking up daily walks as a healthy habit. I believe it to be one of the best and enjoyable activities that I have ever integrated into my day and perhaps you may end up feeling the same way. Regardless of your age or fitness level, taking the time to take a few steps daily could very well be life changing.
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