Why Walking Is The Best Exercise

As Portia and I took off on our walk this morning,I noticed how quiet the pavements were and it dawned on me that the Sydney City to Surf 13km fun run was over for another year. Where have all those joggers gone? Have they put their Nikes in storage until next year, or perhaps ticked one more thing off their bucket list. My running days are long gone. Unless you are biomechanically perfect it is difficult to sustain pounding the streets injury free, plus you notice they don’t look that happy! However you know you’ve gotta move more and if jogging is off the table it’s usually gym memberships and sweaty workouts that next come to mind. If sauntering down between the long line of bikes and treadmills with your shoulders back and belly sucked in is enough to send you back to the couch then maybe think about this...our ancestors, grandparents and their parents did not workout in the gym, but they did walk everywhere, carried heavy things, got down in the garden, did laundry by hand and completed chores with a lot more physicality. We can do it too!

Walking is a simple yet powerful way to improve or maintain your overall health.

Here are some benefits; *You can do it at any age *It is low-impact, reducing the chance of injury *It’s cheap-a pair of well fitting shoes-hmmm my current collection - T shirt and trackie-daks are all you really need.If however you have to stop by the supermarket on the way home you may want more stylish activewear. I love my leggings (from Target) with a pocket on the hip for my iPhone which has the free HEALTH app to track my steps which I find quite motivating!

*Walking is weight-bearing so improves bone and muscle strength and endurance *Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke *Boosts brain function-studies have shown over and over again that just 30mins walking daily improves your overall cognitive functioning and cuts your risk of developing depression. So instead of participating in the 5pm mood adjusting, happy hour G&T, go for a walk!

*Studies show 30-60 minutes of walking per day cuts your Diabetes risk 60% by improving glucose control. Pair that with the Low Carb diet and you’re laughing your way to healthy ageing *Daily walking also improves sleep *Reduces body fat, especially the visceral fat around the organs.You’ll need to get your steps up though and add stairs if weight loss is your goal, and also pay attention to your food choices and timing. In my experience successful weight loss is 80% Nutrition and 20% Movement - sorry

Making the process enjoyable is essential to compliance. Find a walking buddy..you’ll always turn up on the street corner if you’ve arranged to meet someone there. Walk the dog..if you don’t have one borrow someone else’s to walk, there are heaps of people around who would prefer you to spend an hour with their pet than having to pay a commercial company. Join a local walking group..even if you only get out on the weekend you will be inspired to keep it up during the week so you can keep up! Remember the best movement practice is the one you love doing so if walking everyday sounds a chore, try it just 3 times per week and add a fun group activity on the other days. Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Dance, Zumba! Oh OK then if you’re really desperate..Golf Thanks for reading and keep Rocking Real Food. Brenda