Walking for mind, body and soul

When we talk about walking in an everyday way, it sounds very ordinary and far from a very sexy or interesting topic. Those of us that are fortunate enough to be able to walk without any problems whatsoever might even take the simple action of walking for granted. Those that have been injured permanently or temporarily through illness, accident or not able to walk from birth, would say that walking is a gift and should be treated as such.

Our whole life revolves around walking. We simply get up and go and our legs take us where we want or need to be. When we look at walking as part of a healthy routine of activity and wellness, our whole mind puts walking into a different perspective. If you find you don't walk enough, it might be the one simple and positive thing you're missing in your life.

Some people track their steps with gadgets whilst others love to get lost in long walks for leisure, fresh air and general mental well-being either alone, with their dog/s or with a partner, friends or family. Quite simply put, walking is one of those activities that can make a huge difference in your life and is by far a simple and humble one to follow through with.

Let's look at a few reasons why walking can make such a significant difference for you mentally and physically:

• You can literally incorporate it into everything you do every single day. 
• Walking is free and offers variety like no other. You can literally walk nearly anywhere and everywhere.
• Walking gets your whole body moving and is low impact so therefore no stress on any joints.
• Walking gives you time to think and unwind for better mental health.
• Walking can be done alone or with few or many.
• Walking loosens up the body and helps with posture, weight loss, weight maintenance and oxygen intake.
• Walking is a natural mood booster and sitting for long periods of time requires the limbs to activate in order to not get stiff, sore or atrophied. 
• Walking naturally builds and tones muscles and gets blood flowing.
• Walking gives you time to reflect, plan and do affirmations or statements on what you'd like to achieve in life.
• Walking aids digestion after a meal instead of sitting down, get out and burn those calories.
• Walking helps with strength and endurance.
• Walking is good for the lungs, heart and bones as you're using them in a natural way through natural motion.
• Walking helps with sleeping as you're breathing fresh air and getting natural exercise.

How to naturally add walking into your life and get the most out of a walk:

• Park on the furthest side of the parking lot at the shopping mall, work or any other place you frequent.
• Try to walk as much as you can on a vacation, whether you sightsee, walk on the beach, go for hikes or visit places that you can walk from one side of the area to the other as opposed to always taking transit.
• Take walking tours when you travel. Not only are they informative, but they cover the lay of the land of where you're visiting and are normally a good distance.
• Take your dog for regular walks, once or twice a day and make them longer if you have to.
• Step up your pace and make your strides bigger if you feel you are not getting enough out of your walk.
• Pull in your stomach and buttocks as you walk and push your shoulders back as you breathe deeply. 
• Walk to work, school, park or gym if you are able to and within walking distance that makes sense.
• Walk up the stairs at work or in the building you live instead of always taking the elevator.
• Take the stairs at the mall, school or any other building you frequent.
• Build up your walking plan. If you start with 10 minutes, work your way up to an hour and pick a variety of routes to keep it interesting.
• If you love music, wear earphones to either relax you or to heighten your pace and get you moving faster, depending what you want out of your walk.
• Make sure your footwear and clothing is comfortable and correct for the weather. Not too hot that you have to carry something or too cold that you're shivering and can't enjoy your walk.
• Make sure your shoes are broken in and don't cause blisters or don't support your arches properly and end up causing aching feet or a twisted ankle. The incorrect gear will put you off and might take you days to recover. 
• Carry a water bottle and backpack with you if your walk is longer or might turn into a hike or cover rough terrain.
• Challenge yourself with slopes, hills and longer flights of stairs if your walks become too easy.

Walking for life is an informative ebook read and focuses on walking for fitness, weight maintenance and maintaining a healthy body and mind. Visit our YouTube channel too for a short on walking.  I take a walk with my mini Sheltie Stewie in the snow and say a brief hello.

I hope you've enjoyed this post and get out and walk more! You'll be surprised how good it can make you feel!

Until next time,

Susan

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