Benefits of Walking - Some Basics

Hey, for starters you can leave that couch behind, get great exercise, improve your health and fitness ... and start to feel great again. The benefits of walking are all for free! Just by putting one foot in front of another. As some of the young 'uns say - 'How good a deal is that?'
Another great benefit of walking - you reduce your blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular functions. Heart health is huge in enjoying a healthier lifestyle. That alone makes it worth getting back out there, doesn't it?
Also, When you walk it has a positive impact on your weight and age-related illnesses. It helps you build muscle strength, endurance and maintenance of healthier bones and joints. You'll notice you have fewer aches and pains! And … you can happily leave your extra 'caboose' baggage behind! Very sweet indeed!
You'll notice that your stress level goes down and... you've slowed down the aging process. Another great benefit of walking!
Another one of the great benefits of walking is your renewed energy gives you the motivation and ability to start doing more outdoor activities with your family, friends and even your grandkids!

OK. Time to jump up off that couch and get well on your way. Time to put more fun back into your life. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about, right?

All set? If you're ready, you can Start Walking right now!

More Great Benefits Of Walking

Controlling Your Weight

Weight loss by walking! A great way to control your weight. Your daily walking actually burns calories and you feel the difference. Those calories burned when you walk actually increase as your walking distance and speed increases.

You gain a new sense of energy. It's the start of your benefits of walking journey to be the best you can be!

Natural Anti-Aging

Here's one of the really neat benefits of walking that you probably didn't know.

Fitness walking gives you great cardiovascular exercise, gets your heart rate up, reduces cholesterol, builds muscle and burns fat. You feel better and you're happier. Add those all up and you're enjoying natural anti-aging. You're slowing the aging process!

When you walk regularly you improve your overall health by boosting your circulation, keeping your energy level up and your spirits high. You look and feel younger longer!

Walking in the sunshine helps your skin produce vitamin D, a vitamin essential to good health. Recent studies in both Canada and the US show that this essential vitamin can lower cancer rates, risk of death and risk of osteoporosis in people over 50.

Walking helps shape and tone your legs and butt, slim your waist and sleep better. Your stress level goes down as your spirit goes up! Stress management and relaxation becomes easier. More reasons to put a big smile on your face, as you age more slowly!

You just have to love those benefits of walking now, don't you!

Maintaining Your Blood Pressure

A new study* shows that even if you do a little bit of weekly exercise, it's enough to lower your blood pressure and improve your overall fitness.

Thirty minutes of walking three times a week. Nine easy ten minute walks throughout the day and week.

Either way it's enough to have a healthy effect on your blood pressure. Works great on your measurements around the waist and hip too. Keep it up and you'll be saying 'bye bye' to some of your 'caboose'!

Walking Is Good For Your Brain

In a study* on walking and cognitive function, researchers studied women who walked at an easy pace for at least 90 minutes each week. They found the women had significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline than women who walked less than 40 minutes per week.

Think about that!

Walking Reduces The Risk Of Breast/Colon Cancer

Women who walk briskly for between 75-150 minutes per week, had an 18% decrease in risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women.

Many studies show that exercise also helps prevent colon cancer. In individuals that had developed colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appeared to continue - both by increasing their quality of life and reducing their mortality.

These certainly are powerful benefits of walking aren't they?

You may also want to consider this downloadable paper from the Women's Health Advisory titled Walk your way to better health: taking a daily stroll could reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Walking Helps Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

The Diabetes Prevention* program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of you body weight can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%!

The new findings also show people don't need to run marathons or try starvation diets. Just walk! Seven percent weight loss is a reasonable goal don't you think?

That's a pretty easy way reduce your diabetes risk.

Heart Health

As you walk more and are able to pick up your pace, you will start to feel different ... fitter and stronger! With this improvement you'll also improve your cardiovascular function and reduce the possibility of a heart attack. Walking strengthens your heart!

If you're a female who walk three hours or more a week, you reduce your risk of a heart attack or other coronary event by 35% compared to women who do not walk.

If you're a retired male who walks less than a mile a day, your risk of heart attack is nearly twice that of retired men that walk more than two miles per day!

Stop and think about how many of your friends or family have had a heart attack. Would reducing that possibility be one of the huge benefits of walking for you?

Walking Helps Alleviatte Symptoms Of Depression

Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times a week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression by 47% (as measured using a standard depression questionnaire).

It also gets you outside to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Your spirit is lifted.

No need to worry about meeting any grumpy walkers on your walks. Walkers are happy people! They're happy to stop and chat a bit before moving on.

You've found a fun way to meet new friends. That's one of the very special benefits of walking for sure!

Walking Improves Fitenss

Walking just three times a week for 30 minutes can significantly increase cardiorespiratory fitness. Walk tall, look ahead, and swing your arms. Your circulation is improved. Your breathing is improved. You can feel the spring in your steps!

Yup. Pretty soon you're a whole lot more fit and hooked for life!

Research shows that one of the benefits of walking is that it improves your fitness and ability to carry out the activities of daily living. Things like dressing, bathing, grooming, personal hygiene. Stuff you take for granted when you are reasonably fit. It has also been shown to help in the prevention of disabilities in older folks like us!

It helps you keep your balance. It keeps you stronger and more flexible. Everyday physical activities becomes easier. When it's easier it's sure a lot more fun!

Walking Is Good For Your Bones

Research shows that postmenopausal women who walk approximately one mile each day have higher whole-body bone density than women who walk shorter distances. It also shows that walking is effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the legs.

Just before you start your walking, please -

See Your Doctor Or Health Professional First!

Let her know you want to start this new walking program. Get your 'green light' so you can be on your way to enjoying the many benefits of walking!

While you're there, you need to talk also about eating healthy and following a really good diet! Get specific diet and nutrition guidance designed just for you.

Got your 'green light'? Great! Now you're ready to Start Walking!

A Special Treat For You!

As you benefit from your walking, you will of course we walking your way towards a happy and healthy retirement. Here is a great site we recently became aware of we just had to share with you. It is called

Greg Butler's Retirement Stories

Greg retired in 2007, at age 60, and is an active and avid member of an Irish walking club. Greg finds that hill walking is an ideal pastime for the actively retired, and he rates it among his favorite hobbies. For him it combines healthy exercise, access to beautiful environments, and friendly socializing.

Greg is a Retirement Coach and he tells real stories about real people, gathered from his experiences and his work as a writer and retirement coach.

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