Do the walk of (a healthy) life!

Isn’t it lovely how the days are getting longer and the birds are chirping louder again at this time of year? People are willing to go outside more often, enjoy the nice weather and experience how everything around them comes alive again. In short: spring has begun, and so have the accompanying walks! What’s more, they can bring more benefits than you think.

A wealthy walk

Walking comes with many benefits. A study published in “Scientific Reports” found that the health benefits increase significantly when you walk at least 120 minutes a week in nature. Not only does it reduce your stress levels, it is also good for heart health, boosts your immune system and improves your mood. More so, walking is becoming an esteemed prescription from doctors, as it can also help relieve anxiety and depression.

Finnish scientists also found that if you visit urban green spaces three to four times a week, you are 36% less likely to take blood pressure medication. Likewise, asthmatics face a 26% lower chance of taking medication. And for those who think they need to go to the gym every day, consider this: someone who weighs about 72 kg will burn 125 calories if they walk for 30 minutes. That’s worth the small effort, right?

How to get started?

“But I don’t have time to walk every day”.  Believe us, you do and in fact, you should make time to take a walk every day. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Set a goal.

Doctors and scientists recommend taking 10.000 steps a day. That is a lot, especially if you have a job that involves spending all day at your desk. Therefore, try setting a personal goal. For example, you could try to reach 7,000 steps a day or commit yourself to a 2.000-step walk.

2. Schedule your sport activities.

For example, oblige yourself to take a 20-minute walk after lunch if you work from home. Or when you arrive home from work, force yourself to take the dogs out for a short walk before plopping down on the sofa.

3. Find your walk buddy.

It’s always more motivating when you have a partner in crime whenever you want to go for a new challenge. Find yourself a walk buddy and meet each other on fixed days to take a lovely walk and discuss the newest trends at the office.

4. Discover new places.

Seek for new walking routes and get to know your neighbourhood. By going to the store by foot, you might discover some interesting things you never noticed before such as a good restaurant, a cosy picknick spot or a beautiful view to take some nice pictures with your kid(s) or dog(s).

5. The ideal moment to learn something new.

During your walk, you can listen to podcasts, be it an educational podcast or some comedy. Since you are walking and you aren’t doing ten different things at the same time, take this opportunity to learn more about the topics you don’t take/have time for when being at home or at the office.

6. No expensive subscription.

Guess what: your walking subscription costs 0.00 euros, and you can do it whenever and wherever you want (shout-out to anyone who read it Shakira-wise).