How Walking Helps Us Stay Healthy?
Excessive sitting continues to plague the lives of office workers, professional drivers, and… people, who are too lazy to turn a hair and get their bodies to work. Not infrequently, it is not until we find a serious health issue that we realize that we must do something about it right now. Physical activity is one of the simplest and most effective prevention measures and cures against a variety of diseases. There is one perfect way to make things better: get up and take a walk!
Excessive sitting continues to plague the lives of office workers, professional drivers, and… people, who are too lazy to turn a hair and get their bodies to work. Not infrequently, it is not until we find a serious health issue that we realize that we must do something about it right now. Physical activity is one of the simplest and most effective prevention measures and cures against a variety of diseases. There is one perfect way to make things better: get up and take a walk!
Monitor your activity
There is some data on the amount of work your body should do to keep physically (and mentally) fit. It has been estimated that an average citizen needs 30 minutes of moderate exercise on a daily basis to feel well. Likewise, 10,000 steps per day are viewed as the most optimal amount of physical work.
The origin of the ten-thousand-step indicator is not scientific. However, further studies revealed a significant improvement in the health of those who had reached it. Particularly, 10,000 steps each day helped many patients get their blood pressure and glucose levels back into the normal range. Most of the participants were dealing with weight issues.
Sitting is dangerous!
Another study was specifically reflective of the harm of sitting. It comprised 240,819 senior people (50-71 years old) and indicated that even those who exercised regularly but spent seven hours or so watching TV each day, were still likely to develop serious and potentially fatal cardiovascular issues. So, if you are really intent on changing your life for the better, the first thing you must do is cut down on sitting. You can do that in different ways.
Strive for 10,000 steps per day!
Please, don’t worry! We are not telling you to get up and rush for the 10,000 steps right now! This is not a must figure, especially if you are only starting. However, what we strongly recommend you to do immediately is improve on what you have been doing so far. Using a pedometer/fitness tracker will be a great option, because it will help you monitor your own progress.
If your office is within a moderate walking range from your house, try to walk instead of riding. If it is far, you may cover part of the distance by riding and the other part – on foot. This should be done on a regular basis.
Switch from using elevators/moving stairways to walking upstairs. This can give you a good amount of workload and make you feel much better pretty soon! If you work in a high-rise building, try to walk as high up as you can and climb a bit higher every time you reach a barrier. Don’t forget to count steps!
If you still have to use a car to reach your office, park as far away from the entrance as you can. Use every little opportunity to add more steps!
Get a barking four-legged friend! This is who will definitely get you to walk more than you usually do. Once there are two of you, you can walk each other on an everyday basis!
If you cannot do without TV, you can get up and take a walk every time there is a commercial break. They occur quite frequently, so even a sedentary activity like watching TV can give you a little room for physical exercise.
Do not use food-delivery services too often. If you choose to buy products at your local grocery store, you will have to walk pretty much. This can be a great bonus on your path toward the goal you have set for yourself!
Take a look at the scientific data available and see how many people have improved their health by simply walking – the simplest and most cost-efficient fitness program ever!
