Regular walking also improves overall health and longevity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' report, walkers live longer and have a better quality of life.
Regular walking means walking daily, or at least a few times a week, for at least 30 minutes. Regular walking, like other gentle and moderate physical activities that engage the whole body, can greatly improve your aerobic fitness and cardiorespiratory function. Additionally, when you walk regularly, you reduce the risk of:
Your weight reflects the balance between the calories you take in from food and the calories you expend through daily physical activity. By walking for 30 minutes, you cover a distance of 2.0 to 2.5 km and burn about 125 calories (520 kilojoules). This may not sound like much, but if you walk five days a week for a year, you expend over 32,000 calories, which burns over 5 kg of fat. What's more, the latest scientific findings show that walking provides even more benefits if you burn a minimum of 2,000 calories per week by walking (about 8 hours of walking per week).
Walking, especially when you walk in good company and in a pleasant environment, reduces depression and anxiety. In addition, walkers are often good sleepers.
Slow walking is often recommended for people suffering from various health conditions. At first, you may only walk short distances, but if you persevere, you can quickly increase your distance and speed up your recovery.
