The Benefits of a 30 Minute Morning Walk

There are so many ways in which you can lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, every one of them will include some form of exercise. This is not just about going mad one day and running ten miles and then sitting down for a fortnight! Exercise should be done continuously and you should not have long intervals between each exercise activity. This is why we recommend doing a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week and it is best if you undertake one exercise activity every day. This will prevent diseases like high blood pressure, embolism, certain types of cancer, heart attacks and obesity. It will certainly help you to feel much better. Here are our suggestions for how you can incorporate a thirty-minute morning walk into your daily routine.  

How to walk

Obviously you know how to walk! But are you getting the best out of it? Start with a gentle warm up and then stretch whilst your body cools down.

This is how to stretch to prevent injury:

• Avoid bouncing
• Don’t stretch more than feels comfortable. Listen to your body.
• Breathe constantly during the stretch.
• Make your movements slow and steady.

Here are some tips for getting the best out of your walk:

• When walking, make sure that your toes point forward
• With each step, your heel should touch the ground first. Then, your body weight will have to continue forwards with the movement.
• Move your arms naturally and continuously.
• Your shoulders should be pulled slightly backwards and your chin should be held high. Try not to look at the ground more than you have to.

The benefits of walking

Taking a 30 minute morning walk every single day can be just as beneficial as running. This kind of exercise helps reduce the risk of you developing chronic diseases and will make you feel much better in yourself.

Scientists in the USA have found that doing physical exercise reduces the risk of a premature death, helps fight cardiovascular problems, and maintains the health of your muscles and bones. Here is a small selection of the benefits of walking that have been recorded in scientific studies:

• Levels of blood cholesterol in adults can be reduced by 7% when subjects walked regularly.
• Levels of blood cholesterol in adults can be reduced by and running by 4.3% when subjects ran regularly.
• Regular walking reduced the risk of getting cardiac diseases by 9.3%
• Regular running reduced the risk of getting cardiac diseases by 4.5%
• Walking reduced the likelihood of developing high blood pressure by 7.2%
• Running reduced the likelihood of developing high blood pressure 4.2%

Science has confirmed that, in terms of many common diseases, walking is actually better for you then running and does not carry such a high risk of injury. It can be enjoyed by individuals who find running hard, for example, those of us who are a little over weight. Walking places our joints under less strain and is a more gentle form of exercise.

Precautions when taking up walking

As with all physical activity, there are some precautions that you should bear in mind before taking up the activity for the first time. As a result, when you walk, you have to keep in mind the place, time, and other aspects that the exercise will involve.

Firstly, make sure that you are wearing the correct attire. Make sure that you have a supportive shoe, such as a walking boot or a trainer. This will support your foot as you are moving. Wear loose fitting clothes and layers are best so that you can peel them off as you warm up. Take some water and a mobile phone with you but not much more. The last thing you need is a very heavy bag!

If you are walking early in the morning, make sure that you wear a reflective jacket. Always tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to be back. That way you can get fit and stay safe at the same time.

Start off with a short distance. Circular walks are best so that you get back to where you started. Then gradually build up the distance over a few weeks. Happy walking!