The Truth About Women Walking, Part I
Millions of women in this country walk every day for exercise. And millions more know they should. I’ve spoken with many women in both groups to learn why some walk and some want to walk but don’t. In listening to the walking wannabe’s I’ve heard great excuses, legitimate obstacles and complete mistruths like:
Walking is boring.
Walking takes too much time.
Walking doesn’t fit into my day.
Walking really isn’t enough exercise to make a difference.
That may indeed be what you believe, what you’ve experienced or what you’ve heard. But the truth about walking is very different. Did you know that a brisk daily walk:
Reduces your risk of heart disease 40%.
Helps you loose weight.
Improves your mood and memory.
Adds up to seven years to your life.
And that during your walk you can:
Save money.
Save time.
Become more creative.
Help a friend, family member or co-worker.
And after walking daily for a few weeks you’ll realize that:
You’re sleeping better.
You’re eating healthier foods.
You feel better about yourself.
You’ve lost weight.
That, ladies, is the truth about women walking!
In the past few years doctors and researchers worldwide have published numerous reports on the benefits of walking. The truth is that a regular walking habit addresses some of the most prevalent and deadly health problems we women face today. Doctors are finding that the simple act of walking is a big-time game changer. Here are ten powerful health benefits we give ourselves when we walk:
TEN POWERFUL HEALTH BENEFITS OF WOMEN WALKING
1) OUR HEARTS!
Walking reduces our risk of heart disease (#1 killer of women in the United States) and stroke while keeping our blood pressure in check.
2) OUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS!
Walking lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (good cholesterol).
3) OUR RISK MANAGEMENT!
A regular walking habit lowers our risk of developing certain diseases including type 2 diabetes, asthma and certain cancers.
4) OUR WEIGHT!
Walking helps manage weight by increasing muscle mass and tone. Themore muscle we have, the faster we metabolize which means we are burning more calories even when resting.
5) OUR BONES!
Walking is a weight bearing activity; walking stimulates and strengthens bones, which in turn increases bone density. (This is especially important for we women.) Bonus: Walking helps maintain healthy joints as well.
6) CORE STRENGTH!
Walking tones legs and core (core muscles include not only our abdominals but pelvic floor muscles and more). Bonus: increasing core strength decreases back pain.
7) MEMORY!
Regular walking reduces the risk of dementia by up to 40%. Walking six (or more) miles per week can prevent brain shrinkage and preserve memory.
8) MOOD!
Regular walking is a natural antidepressant. Bonus: Walking outside boosts our Vitamin D levels.
9) ENERGY!
Walking gives us energy--every step we take increases our energy level!
10) LIFESPAN!
Brisk walking for twenty-five minutes per day can add up to seven years to our lives!
As you can see, the health benefits of walking affect body, mind and spirit in amazing life-changing ways. I believe walking is the ultimate way to care for our health easily on a daily basis.
However, my goal is for women to not only live happier, healthier, longer lives but for us to live truly fulfilling lives as well. And why is that? Because simply put, if more women were living happier, healthier, longer, fulfilling lives we’d change the world. For this reason, I’m passionate about women walking not only for the wonderful health benefits we realize when we walk but also because of the profound quality of life benefits that walking can bring to our whole selves and lives.
In Part II of this post, we’ll take a look at Ten Compelling Quality of Life Benefits of Women Walking. In the meantime, review the health benefits in this list and think about which ones apply to you, to your female family members and your best friends and co-workers. Then give one of them a call and invite her to go for a walk. Because--walking works!