The health benefits of walking: mood boosting, weight loss and stronger bones

Walking is the cheapest, easiest and arguably most useful form of exercise so it’s amazing that we don’t do more of it.

As the weather improves and daylight hours lengthen, Living Streets’ initiative to turn May into National Walking Month gives us the perfect excuse to put that right – and your health and waistline will thank you.

As well as being a useful mode of transport, a way to learn your way around your local area and places you like, walking has a huge amount of health benefits.  It’s accessible to the vast majority of us, can be fit into the day and even made into a social activity.

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Fights obesity and keeps you at a healthy weight

We’re often told that we don’t move enough and that our sedentary, office-based work lives and TV-based home lives will send us to an early grave. So one of the best things you can do to fight back is to stay on two feet as much as possible.

Walking all or part of the way to or from work is a great start, or if that’s not feasible, try a 20-minute power walk at lunch.

You’ll get a workout without getting so sweaty you need a midday shower. And getting your heart pumping and your blood moving around your body will make you far more productive during the afternoon than snatching a few minutes to wolf down a sandwich at your desk.

Walking burns calories, keeping your weight down, aiding weight loss and staving off obesity. It’s not got the calorie-burning power of a high-energy workouts but it’s a great addition to your gym time or an excellent way to kick off a plan to get fit.

You’ll notice yourself trimming down without even feeling the hard graft too.

Reduces diabetes risk

Regular low impact exercise has been found to help the body regulate insulin levels, which is a vital component in reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

With the condition on the rise, it’s important to do what we can with our lifestyle choices to avoid a lifetime of medication.

Regular moderate exercise is one of the keys to reducing this risk so regularly hitting the pavement can make a huge difference.

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Good for your cardiovascular system

Keeping active lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke by giving your heart a workout.

It also helps to keep your cardiovascular system healthy by lowering cholesterol.

Bad cholesterol builds up in the blood stream and arteries due to a combination of unhealthy foods and lack of exercise.

Stress is also bad for your heart and walking helps to reduce stress levels by giving you a productive way to manage your worries – talking a walk instead of eating, say, cheese. And as being overweight ups your cholesterol too, losing weight thanks to walking is a proactive way to lower levels.

Good for your mind

Walking has been found by numerous studies to be an excellent stress-reducing activity. It’s also recommended to those suffering from depression and is even thought to boost memory.

Walking is traditionally used to inspire and spark creativity and going for a head-clearing walk instead of sitting down in front of the TV will make you feel more energised. It also helps tire out both your body and mind, which aids natural sleep and helps you feel more positive.

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Keeps you supple

While running has been known to cause injuries to knees and other joints, walking is generally considered beneficial for them. It’s fairy low impact, particularly if you ensure you’re wearing supportive shoes and is great to continue even if recovering from other sports injuries.

It also promotes bone health and protects against osteoporosis, so it’s an ideal activity for young women to get into as your 20s and early 30s are a vital time for building up bone strength.

Regular walking also helps keep joints supple, particularly in the lower body and even helps to build and strengthen muscle.