5 Reasons Why Walking is the Best Workout

5 Reasons Why Walking is the Best Workout

Believe it or not, exercise  doesn’t have to be miserable. It can be something you do in your spare time, with a friend or by yourself, which is why I love walking! Walking is a great exercise for so many reasons.

1. You get to be outside.

It’s so important to spend time outside and get some fresh air. According to Ask the Scientist, spending time outdoors acts as a stress reliever, boosts your immune system and calms the mind. 

On top of all those things, you can do it anywhere! My partner and I live in a one-bedroom apartment with two cats – it’s safe to say it can get a little stuffy. We like to do weekly walks because it gives us a chance to stretch our legs and we get to soak in the neighborhood. 

We love to watch the changing leaves and see people’s holiday decorations. Our other favorite part about walking is dreaming about what we would do differently when we get our own home. Overall, it’s a great time to connect with nature and each other.

2. Walking is good for your health.

Why is walking good for your health, you may ask? Well, it gets your heart rate up just enough to create a positive impact on your weight loss journey. It also is a great lightweight bearing activity to keep your bones strong and prevent osteoporosis, a major issue for women as they age.

When you first start trying to lose weight, it can be challenging to stick to something – especially when it’s hard and makes your body hurt. Walking is a great way to start creating healthy habits – and when you’re ready, you can pick up more challenging forms of exercise.  Simply starting with a short 10-minute walk with your furry best friend or your human one can provide you with accountability and a surge of serotonin from companionship.

3. Walking carries low-risk injuries.

With waking, there is no jumping, skipping, running or weights involved. Unless you trip (it happens to the best of us), you’re probably going to be just fine. In fact, it can actually help heal you!

Yes, you heard that correctly. Many studies have shown that walking 5-6 miles a week, that’s less than a mile a day, can help to reduce arthritis-related pain.  In addition, walking decreases inflammation that builds in our body every 48 hours that typically leads to insulin resistance, weight gain, and cholesterol abnormalities..

4. Walking is the best exercise because it can boost your mood.

That’s right; it can make you happier. This boost in your mood stems from the increase in blood flow and circulation throughout your body. Which in turn stimulates your brain’s happy hormones – serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are typically off-balance in those with weight management issues

According to Web MD, “It has a positive influence on your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is your central nervous response system. This is good because the HPA axis is responsible for your stress response. When you exercise by walking, you calm your nerves, which can make you feel less stressed.”

5. Last but not least, it just gets your body moving.

Starting your health journey can be incredibly difficult and daunting – but it’s not impossible. Walking is a good exercise because it’s simple. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and just go for it.  And once you’ve completed it, you were successful.  Every time you complete a goal you set for yourself, your self-esteem and confidence increase. This is important because increased confidence in yourself lends to repeated behaviors.  Over time, these behavior changes lead to weight loss.

Start with a 10-minute walk and build up from there. You can do this.  If you’re not sure where to start, join our Women Weight Loss Programs Spokane and get your FREE consultation today! We are here for all of the support that we can provide.
Girl, now is your time to shine! We are here for you.

Dr. Kerry Traugott, DNP
Dr. Kerry Traugott, DNP

Dr. Kerry Traugott, DNP is a Obesity Medicine Specialist in Spokane, WA. She is accepting new patients.

About me
Kerry Traugott, DNP
Kerry Traugott, DNP specializes in holistic weight loss for women
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