7 Guaranteed Benefits of Walking as an Exercise Explained

It’s time to invest in yourself and learn the benefits of walking as an exercise.

Let me start off by saying, I love walking. I track my steps every day to see if I’ve been a bum or if I’m doing alright. When I’m walking in the halls of my school, my students always ask if “I’m getting my steps in,” which, at times, I am.

You should be walking, too. The health benefits are so plentiful, and it isn’t a high-impact way to incorporate movement in your day. It’s easy enough to do if you just plan a little and are thoughtful about it. There are so many reasons to walk for your health.

This post is all about walking as an exercise.

7 Benefits of Walking for Fitness

Below are the main benefits that you will experience when you’re willing to invest in yourself and incorporate a walking routine into your daily life. Just look at the list!

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Learning more about these benefits will hopefully inspire you to find the value of incorporating walking into your life. Before learning all of this, I would have never given walking the time of day, but, the more I listen to people that I respect talking about the value of incorporating walking into your daily routine, the more I take it seriously.

Walking Improves Cardiovascular Health

Did you know that making walking part of your daily plan can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease? It helps lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, and strengthen your heart muscle. 

Keeping the heart healthy and pumping will improve your lifestyle for years to come.

Walking as an Exercise to Lose Weight 

As I’ve said before, I listen to the MindPump podcast a lot. One of the fundamental messages Sal, Adam, and Justin have is to lift weights and incorporate walking. 

According to them, walking is a nice boost to your body’s ability to burn fat without over-stressing the system the same way aggressive cardio can. While many people believe that strenuous cardio is the fastest way to weight loss, the boys over at Mind Pump disagree. They explain that putting so much stress on your body is a fast way to have your body go into protective mode and hold onto those unwanted pounds.

Walking for Mental Health

My favorite time of the year is summer. Not only because I don’t have work, but because I can get a walk in during the early hours of the day. It’s the perfect time because no one is really up yet, and the streets are quiet, allowing me to only focus on nature. It is the perfect way to start the day. Studies have found that walking only 75 minutes a week will help with symptoms of depression. 

It isn’t only for depression; you are going to find amazing benefits for your memory and overall cognitive ability when you decide to incorporate this gentle form of exercise into your routine. If you’re a mom who forgets everything, you need this!

{Related Post: A Simple Guide to Self-Care Practices for Working Mothers}

Walking for Bone Density

If you’ve read my post on health podcasts to listen to, you know that I love learning about health. I’m getting older, and I want to do so in the best way possible. What comes up time and again, is that aging women often struggle with our bone density decreasing from the shifts in our hormones.

This is why focusing on bone density helps. If you want to age well, you need to keep strategies for maintaining bone density on your mind. While working out with weights at the gym is the best way to maintain bone density, walking is also shown to improve your bones and the muscles that surround them. That’s a huge win!

{Related Post: Top 5 Health and Fitness Podcasts that You’ll Love}

Walking for Sleep

Sleep is the most important and most overlooked component of health.

Did you know that walking during the day can help you get a better night’s sleep? By keeping yourself physically active during the day, you do a better job of regulating hormones, including the ones that help you sleep (like melatonin).

You can stack your sleeping success by walking outside because being in nature helps with your internal clock (circadian rhythm) because your eyes often regulate with the position of the sun in the sky.

Walking to Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Diseases

Movement and exercise in general lead to fewer health risks. Walking does the same: it reduces your risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Plus, walking offers the lowest barriers to start! Just grab a pair of shoes and hit the pavement, or, be prepared for bad weather by investing in a walking pad. They’re less expensive than a treadmill and easier to move around the house. I use mine almost daily in the winter when it’s too cold to go outside. Here is one that’s similar to mine.

Walking Helps Immune System

As stated above, incorporating walking into your routine will offer you the benefits of a more positive outlook on life and helps regulate your hormones. Between keeping you in a better mood and the way in which it boosts the production of white blood cells, walking is one of the best and easiest ways to boost your immune system.

A strong immune system is helpful to fight off everything that your family brings home to you!

Walking for an Hour a Day

Setting a goal to add walking to your day is doable.

You can plan on walking for an hour a day or you can break it up into smaller increments. No matter how you choose to achieve this goal, you will start to see and feel the benefits.

By being intentional with your goal, you are setting yourself up for success. And, if you’re taking the time to read this post, you are looking for ways to motivate yourself to incorporating walking. 

Walking for an hour a day is a great start to your journey!

{Related Post: 5 Steps to Set Goals You Can Actually Achieve}

How to Make Walking a Habit

Here are some tips to help you stay motivated with your new goal. Don’t worry, you don’t have to incorporate all of them, but they are a great way to get yourself going. 

Find a Walking Buddy: Walking with a friend is not only more enjoyable, but it also makes you more accountable to your new habit.

Be Realistic: If you’re not crazy active, walking for an hour a day can seem daunting. Start with 15-minute increments. Maybe one 15-minute increment for a week, then two 15-minute increments, and so on. 

Track Progress: There are so many step trackers available. I love my Apple Watch for two features: my step count and the way it helps me find my phone!

Usually, the trackers have apps that come with them, so you can see your progress throughout the week or month.

Listen to Music or Podcasts: If you love learning, you will find it’s the perfect non-interrupted time to consume information on any topic that you love. 

{Related Post: Top 5 Health and Fitness Podcasts that You’ll Love}

Is Walking Exercise? 

Absolutely! If you’re ready to get healthier, but you aren’t sure you can commit to hours at the gym, walking is the easiest form of exercise to incorporate for your health. It’s fun, relaxing, and has health benefits beyond weight loss. 

Make it a point to add walking into your self-care routine!

This post was all about walking as an exercise.