Benefits of Walking

Helps you Burn Calories

Walking can help you burn calories. Burning calories can help you maintain or lose weight.

Strengthens your Heart

Walking at least 30 minutes for five days a week can reduce your risk of a coronary heart disease by about 19 percent. And your risk may reduce even more when you increase the duration or distance you walk per day.

Helps in Lowering your Blood Sugar

Taking a short walk after eating may help lower your blood sugar. A study found that taking a 15-minute walk three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than taking a 45-minute walk at another time during the day.

Eases Joint Pain

Walking can help protect the joints, including your knees and hips. That's because it helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support the joints. Walking may be beneficial for people living with arthritis. Walking 5 to 6 miles a week may also help prevent arthritis.

Boosts your Energy

Going for a walk when you're tired may be a more effective energy boost than grabbing a cup of coffee. Walking increases oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. These are hormones that help elevate energy levels.

Improves your Mood

Walking can help with your mental health. Studies have shown that walks can help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood. It can also boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal.

To experience these benefits, aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking or another moderate-intensity exercise three days a week. You can also break it up into three 10-minute walks.

Tones your Legs

Walking can strengthen the muscles in your legs. To build up more strength, walk in a hilly area or on a treadmill with an incline. Or climb some stairs.

Extends Life

Walking at a faster pace could extend your life. Studies have found that walking at an average pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 percent reduced risk of overall death. But walking at a brisk or fast pace reduced the risk by 24 percent.