4 Ways To Turn Your Walk Into A Workout

Posted by admin

July 12, 2012

A daily walk is a great way to maintain good health. These variations on your stroll can make the exercise even better.

We typically look to measurements like weight, cholesterol level and blood pressure when we evaluate our health. But we may want to add another statistic to the list: Our number of daily steps. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop recommends a minimum of 10,000 steps a day — that’s about five miles — to maintain good fitness. And yet a 2010 study from the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee found that the average American takes only about half that many — 5,117 a day.

The benefits of stepping up are clear. Research has shown that regular walking:

Helps to lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol level, reducing your risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Reduces your blood pressure and your risk of arthritis, diabetes and colon cancer.
Strengthens your immune system.
Gives you more energy, and helps you sleep better.
Improves your strength, flexibility and aerobic conditioning.
Reduces stress and lifts your mood.
Improves cognitive function.

Workouts

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.