WALKING FOR EXERCISE. Its incredible benefits for our body

Walking? When we think about doing some basic physical activity; surely we immediately think about walking a little, walking brings great benefits to our health and our body. In this new article, we will learn more about the advantages and effects of walking in our lives.

Usually, when we decide to start with an exercise routine, we are recommended to walk, this is due to the beneficial properties that give to our body such activity.

The cognitive function of our brain is improved in some way thanks to this action, which increases significantly if you do it daily, also other parts of the body are also positively increased over the time we walk.

Walking improves concentration, reduces stress levels and senile dementia, as well as the likelihood of suffering heart attacks and long-term memory problems, this is because it keeps the body active and focused on a specific goal in general.

As simple as it may seem; if it is done daily, you will see in a few weeks some noticeable changes in your performance and physical shape. However, remember that not everything will happen overnight, you need to adapt and take it as a habit to walk for exercise on a daily basis.

How to start the walking habit?

Starting a new routine, a habit or an activity that will be done frequently in our daily lives; it is quite difficult and complicated at first, your body and mind will not adapt so easily to this new lifestyle.

If you're someone who hasn't done any physical activity; or hasn't walked frequently before, you're sure to be facing this new challenge that will be imposed on you.

Your body has assimilated not to make any physical effort and therefore you have become sedentary in this aspect; in other words, you already have a habit which is not to do any physical activity.

Custom is a major obstacle to overcome, which along with laziness and demotivation, obstruct your ability to exercise, stay in shape and healthy conditions. We have a very extensive and informative article on how to overcome laziness and lack of energy.

Now, knowing this, we ask ourselves: How can we gain the habit of walking?

The answer will depend on each one of us, we don't have the same skills, capacities and we are not completely alike. However, there are several ways in which we can acquire and implement this new habit in our daily lives.

Walking is something basic, we can do it without any complications throughout our days, and knowing that the biggest obstacle is the laziness and lack of motivation, we must face it knowing our limitations.

Sometimes, the lack of motivation is due to the fact that we get tired and exhausted very easily without much effort, that is why when we think about going for a walk, jogging or exercise; it bothers us and we quickly discard such idea.

We recommend the following ways to start the walking habit:

Walking in the morning or in the evening

Surely you have seen many people jogging or walking early in the morning or in the afternoon. The reason for choosing these two blocks of the day is that there will not be so much sun nor so much heat that limits your body; besides that, it will be healthier for your skin, you will be able to travel greater distances than if you were in high temperatures.

We recommend choosing the morning block, generally, your body will adapt better to start a new day more energetically as you will also gain more muscle mass than if you did it in the afternoon.

It should also be noted that these two blocks are chosen because it will only take a couple of hours and it will leave you available for the rest of the day.

Find a good place to walk

In order to get used to walking and enjoy this activity without complications, we must, first of all, find the best place to do it. Make sure that the site is pleasant and environmentally safe; that it is flat, with little or no traffic, with trees or a good visual appearance.

Generally, the parks or squares of the cities, count on these aspects and especially that they are near to your neighborhood and home.

Our mind, in order to get used to something new, must be entertained! Distract yourself with the view that such landscapes offer you, you will be able to walk and be concentrated on your goal in an optimal and feasible way.

Listen to music

It's a scientific fact that listening to music inspires, relaxes and motivates us to continue with planned action.

This is because music influences our senses increases our ability to react and concentrate. List all your favorite songs in an Mp3 player, take a pair of headphones with you and make sure you hold the player securely.

To avoid damage from falls and blows, you'll be more than ready to face your new daily style!

We recommend that for safety reasons, always turn up the volume at a moderate level, as well as being aware of traffic and possible vehicles circulating in the area.

Mix it with some other routine or habit

It is well known that a routine or habit can be contagious to oneself. What do we mean? Well: To acquire a new habit, combine it with another one you already have.

If you usually go to a store to buy something, go to a specific place or just go out near your home, you can combine it with the habit of walking, we recommend adjusting that habit before the time you introduce the walk.

So you will be doing two things that will not waste your time and you will be gaining energy and exercising your body.

Go slowly

If you are sedentary; someone who has not often walked before, or just don't like to walk. Remember why you do it.

You will gain an excellent shape and your body will improve greatly! Getting used to this new lifestyle is complicated, you will have to go little by little and mentalize yourself.

Remember that not everything is done overnight! However, we can guarantee that if you start walking daily; in a matter of weeks, you'll notice big changes in your body! Especially in your thighs and legs.

How to walk properly? The right posture!

Generally, we don't pay attention to certain postures when we are going to perform some action; just as when we bend over to pick something up on the floor, we tend to do it in a harmful and incorrect way.

Our back is the one who will pay the whole price! The right way for all these actions: It's using our legs, they're there for something! All our weight goes towards our legs, they are the ones that distribute the weight and keep us straight and firm.

As we have said repeatedly before, walking is the most basic thing there is. However, that doesn't mean that we always do it the best way…

While walking is a low-impact way of exercising compared to other sports and training activities, its advantages are quite beneficial compared to not doing so.

One of the benefits is that helps to regulate mood level in our lives, is considered a source of relief for stress or some circumstance in which we are passing. If you want to know how to improve your mood we give you all the keys here.

It is also scientifically known that in the countries where walking is more popular and frequent, there are the lowest rates of obesity worldwide, as well as the level of cardiovascular attacks, amazing!

In simpler words: Walking makes you happier, healthier and physically fitter getting a better shape. Here are a few tips or methods to pay attention to if you want to know how to walk correctly:

Tips

You must walk with a firm and straight posture

Many people do not know the consequences of not walking with the back upright or firm, this brings long-term problems with the issue of pain in the spine and back in general, as we said earlier, the back is the one who suffers the circumstances of a bad posture and therefore, we must be aware of it.

When you walk, walk straight! Straighten your back as much as you can; the spine is designed to remain firm and elevated, bending it or bending it will greatly damage its ability to resist.

This will bring you serious problems with the spine in the future! So remember, stand firm and upright!

Swing your arms and keep your shoulders relaxed while you walk

Although for many this is natural; your arms will be your best friend when you walk, while you swing them like a pendulum, you will be able to travel an even greater distance than if you did not.

There are people who are ashamed or shy, trying not to move their arms so much when walking; this is incorrect, your arms are essential and benefit your health.

How is this? Let's see: When you walk, your body will obviously be moving, together with all your organs and limbs equally, the arms contribute to relieving the pressure you exert on your chest when you breathe.

If you avoid moving them for a long time, your breath will accumulate in your chest which will cause you to exhaust very quickly and you tend not to exploit your capacities correctly.

Also, your shoulders also play a crucial role; if you leave them tense and press them, it will be your back that will suffer the consequences.

Remember that your shoulders are tied to your back, keep them relaxed. Do not feel embarrassed when you walk! Walk as naturally as you can, after all, it is part of our nature.

Wear appropriate footwear for walking

Frequently, we believe that any type of footwear will serve us for any type of physical activity; another common mistake, the truth is that our feet also bear the brunt of spending much of the time walking or standing.

Surely on more than one occasion, we have had pains in the toes and lower heel, this is because we wear shoes that are not designed to give us the best possible feeling.

If you are going to walk, try to wear shoes suitable for that occasion! The sneakers, generally have a material made for the specific occasion, which is the walk, give you support in the heels and comfort on the ground floor of the foot.

You can go double or even triple the distance if you do it with other footwear!

Breathe moderately and naturally

As in the previous data; keep it as natural as possible, without changes or retentions. Your body is the one who will suffer the consequences!

Breathing is essential and a vital part of being able to live, it is evident and obvious that the more we exert our body, the faster we run or shake, we will tend to increase the breathing speed due to lack of oxygen.

Although walking does not represent much effort, people are different and we do not share the same capacities and resistances.

Some of us will probably get tired very quickly and start breathing fast; unlike others, who will not notice any change in their oxygen level.

For this, we must always try to keep our lungs calm, walking at a calm pace, if you see that increasing the rate also increases your breathing speed, decrease it and find a midpoint at which it works for you.

The better breathing, the more distance you will walk!

Wear fresh and light clothing

Surely once when we went to school, we had to walk certain distances with the backpack on top, this represented a nuisance for our back, although very normal and common for others, still is an additional weight that we can easily get rid of it.

The cooler and lighter the clothes we wear, the greater the capacity for distance and travel we can do.

Our body will not be limited and will not suffer from the possible sweating that we would get if we wore some kind of "heavy" clothing or cover. 

How many steps do you have to walk during the day? Do the counters on the watches and Smartphone work?

One of the things we don't know when we walk is how many steps do we have to walk to lose weight or be healthy? Again, the answer will depend. As we have said repeatedly, we are all different and do not share the same capabilities in our bodies and organisms. However, it is scientifically known that there is an estimate of the possible amount in which a woman should take steps as she walks to eliminate extra calories and fat.

The estimated number in order to know how many steps we must walk during the day is between 3,000 and 10,000 daily steps.

Amazing, isn't it? You may think it's impossible for someone to take so many steps during the day, but that's not the case. Chinese scientists calculated in an experiment that an average person takes about 5,000 steps during an ordinary day. In other words, on a normal day, you have already taken 5,000 steps of what you would need if you were a sedentary or obese person. (The 10,000 daily steps)

Steps to walk daily

For a better explanation, the following is known:

• An average person walks 5,000 steps a day.
• The minimum steps you must do a day to be healthy should be at least 3,000. 
• A sedentary person must take approximately 8,000 and 10,000 steps to become an ordinary person or the "Minimal Steps".
• A person with obesity must take at least 10,000 daily steps to begin a weight loss routine. 

Knowing all this, we can tell you that you should not worry about the number of steps you take during a day; as long as you are not a sedentary or obese person, you will surely be in the standard category of normal walking.

Even so, if you are sedentary or obese, you must take into account these parameters and mentalize the activities you will have to do during the day in order to lose those extra pounds.

How to measure the steps we take

Now, how can we measure the number of steps we walk? You'll be glad to know that today there are devices that help us know exactly how many steps we've taken! This technology can be found in smartwatches and in applications for our mobile devices.

But are they functional? Do they work? The reality is that it is in part… These devices convert the movement performed and transform it into a number of steps made. Knowing this, do you think it will always tell you exactly how many steps you have done?

If they are useful, to know an estimate of how much you have moved from one place to another, that number will represent you digitally. Even so, it is not a faithfully acceptable source, the number of steps you do with your legs can be different from the amount of movement you have done with your arms and body in general.

However, we do not discredit such devices - they are really useful! They help you calculate an estimate of how much you have walked; if you use it wisely when walking, you can get the most accurate number of steps you have taken, plus it has a positive effect on your routine.

Its second effect is that it causes motivation, when you lift the device and see the number of steps you have done, you will surely feel full of encouragement and satisfaction with yourself!

Does walking help you lose weight?

Of course, it does! Although we emphasize that walking is a low physical impact action, in the long run, it will help us burn calories, fat deposits and all that fat that we accumulate in our body.

Walking has always been in the life and action of the human being from all its history, we are a capable species and with the ability to travel great distances; therefore, it makes it easier for us to lose weight while walking long distances.

However, we must always be aware that the effects will not be felt overnight, patience and determination are required in order to achieve the desired and set objectives.

As is well known, when it comes to losing weight, not only the number of pounds we lose will be involved; also our health, walking is really beneficial in this aspect since it is not a great challenge we face in our daily lives.

As long as we walk with moderation and naturalness, we will be losing weight and gaining a detailed and healthy figure.

Depending on your age, weight, and height, the number of calories lost will change by the number of steps you walk. In other words, it will depend on your physical appearance; along with your age, the amount you must walk to lose weight.

However, according to a study conducted by scientific experts in the field, it became known that a person not involved in physical activity, sedentary, needs to walk at least 5 kilometers a day to consume 270 calories.

It is also known for certain that depending on the level at which you hasten your step, the amount of fat you will lose will be greater, as well as the amount of effort you make while walking, will also contribute to weight loss. That is, if you walk on sloping surfaces, your effort level will be higher and you will consume more calories.

Another study, based on an experiment, revealed that obese women who tend to walk between 50 and 70 minutes; three times a week, for at least 12 weeks, reduced their waist by about 2.8 centimeters and lost 2% of their body fat. Amazing!

Thanks to this information, we can assure you that walking for several minutes, brings great benefits if you want to maintain or lose body fat. Everything will depend on your ability to walk!

Recommendations when you go for a walk.

Before ending, we recommend the following points to keep in mind when trying to add the habit of walking in your daily life:

Always try to stay hydrated

Drink water! It is essential for losing weight drinking water, we are made out of water. Drink at least 2 liters every day.

Try to always be aware and alert to traffic

Many accidents have occurred by people who are not concentrated when crossing a street or avenue. Remember, our goal is not only fat loss also, returning safely home.

Always carry a thermal bottle with you to transport the water

Always keep it cool! If the water is hot, it won't give you the same amount of electrolytes your body needs to keep going.

Don't walk at noon

As expected, traffic and pedestrian level at this time is at its peak, so it will be difficult for you to have a comfortable and pleasant environment. Also, the sun will be at its highest peak, so it will negatively affect both your skin and your performance.

Wear comfortable, light clothing

Wearing comfortable clothing is essential because besides is essential for transpiration, we will feel better when walking.

Don't walk in dangerous or unsafe places

Our goal as we said before has to be losing weight but also, returning safely home.

Nowadays trekking is in style if you do this activity be careful. Be aware of your capacities and go for safe routes and paths.

You can walk into your own house

You walk enough when you move between rooms doing your chores. You can track your steps with your smartphone or smart band.

Do it and you will be surprised by the numbers!!!!

Drink coffee

Coffee is a drink that will help you stay active and full of energy; drink it without sugar.

Besides being more active if you combine it with walking you will notice a significant weight loss.

Walk while you listen to music

Listen to music you love, the time will go by quickly and you will consider walking as a hobby.

You can walk with companions, friends or family

Your walks will be much more enjoyable and fun. Besides being surrounded by people you love, you will socialize and as a consequence, you will feel good!!

Conclusion

Walking is one of the most basic and natural activities that can exist for us, it brings great benefits and not only helps us to be in shape; it also takes care of our health and keeps us active and in optimal conditions, it also lifts our spirits and our capacity for concentration and well-being.

Always remember to stay hydrated, walking slims, burns and wastes calories, so we need to recover certain lost things, including water.

Water is essential for us! Always try to drink cold and drinkable water, otherwise, you will not recover any of the lost liquids and you will be the same.

También ten en cuenta que es un ejercicio de bajo impacto, los efectos no se notarán tan rápidos ni tan notorios.

You must persevere and be determined to continue walking!