Fitness walking is one of the most useful exercises that contribute to weight loss.
Fitness walking is not only the easiest way for everyone to exercise. It is also a beneficial exercise that promotes weight loss and increases stamina and performance. You may not know, but walking also helps:
1. Improve brain function.
With age, the risk of developing dementia (memory impairment) and other brain diseases increases. But regular walking can prevent the onset of destructive processes in the brain and even slow down aging. So, according to one neurological study, which involved 69 people aged 55 to 88 years, walking as a physical exercise can significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Want to improve your cognitive activity even more? Try walking in the opposite direction. A study in the Netherlands showed that walking backward helps you think and control your limbs faster. The involvement of specific areas of the brain, in this case, develops general coordination, spatial orientation, increases the speed of thought processes.
2. Strengthen bones.
The benefit of walking is also that it helps strengthen bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis (a disease of bone depletion). Studies show that women who walked for at least 4 hours a week showed a 40% reduction in the risk of hip fractures.
Of course, more energetic forms of exercise, such as running, jumping and weightlifting, also contribute to maintaining healthy bones. But walking turns out to be no less effective in this regard. This is great news for those who are just starting workouts, who like workouts that don't significantly increase their heart rate, and, of course, for those who love walking.
3. Improve your mood.
If you have a difficult day, then the best thing you can do to get rid of bad thoughts is to go for a walk. Numerous studies in this area show that walking as physical activity reduces stress and improves mood.
Even better if you have the opportunity to take a walk in nature. Walking in the fresh air near green spaces has been proven to help reduce feelings of frustration and even plunge the brain into a state of meditation.
4. Increase blood circulation.
Regular physical activity in the form of walking has a positive effect on the work of the heart. The benefits of walking are improving blood circulation, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke. At the same time, only 30 minutes of walking per day can have a constructive effect on the work of the heart and circulatory system - you must agree that this is a moderate feasible load in order to stay healthy for a long time.
5. Strengthen the muscles of the lower body
With age, the muscles in the lower leg area weaken, which can lead to a loss of body balance. Therefore, regular walking is very important: it helps prevent bruises and falls that can occur in old age.
Regular walks can help improve body balance by strengthening the lower legs. At the same time, walking with an accentuated roll from heel to toe further contributes to the development of foot muscles. This prevents shuffling and thus reduces the risk of falls.
6. Improve your memory
Can't remember where the keys were put? Regular walks support the effective functioning of the hippocampus, a part of the limbic system of the brain involved in the mechanisms of verbal memory, learning, retention of attention, and the transition of short-term to long-term memory.
A study conducted among women aged 65 and over showed that age-related memory loss was less likely to occur in those who were more likely to walk.
7. Reduce symptomatic pain with arthritis.
It is known that acute conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia are accompanied by unpleasant musculoskeletal pain, aching joints, malaise, and weakness. In turn, daily walking is able to reduce pain and other symptoms of these diseases.
Moderate in time and intensity of walking should be enough to improve the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. However, be sure to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.
8. Normalize blood glucose
Walking can improve blood glucose at any time of the day or night. But walking immediately after eating works even better. So, in one of the studies published in the journal dedicated to dietetics, it was said that a short 15-minute walk immediately after eating is as effective in lowering blood sugar as a 45-minute walk at any other time of the day.
9. Strengthen the immune system.
Daily walks help the body to more steadfastly resist disease, strengthening the immune system. Regular exercise also helps maintain a healthy weight, which in turn reduces the risk of developing diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes.
10. Improve sleep
The benefits of walking are undeniable for those who suffer from insomnia. After a long walk, the process of falling asleep is much faster and calmer. Morning walks in the fresh air are especially useful, as exposure to daylight helps to stay in harmony with natural bio-rhythms.
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