Do you think that to maintain an active lifestyle, you have to go to the gym? Going for a walk every day is very beneficial and here are eight reasons to do so. In Spain, despite the wonderful weather we have, there are fewer and fewer people who decide to do their physical activity outdoors. Nowadays, going for a walk on a daily basis has faded into the background . However, there are very good reasons to do so.
The last annual report of the European market for fitness and health shows that fitness has become the most practiced physical activity in Europe and puts Spain among the top leaders in the sector. In fact, it seems that in our country, it constitutes the highest volume of sports activity. What if I told you that you don’t need to join a gym? Going for a walk on a daily basis is as beneficial or more beneficial, and in this article, I tell you the reasons for doing so.
Going for a walk helps reduce body fat
Walking is an ideal physical activity to burn body fat. This is because it allows maintaining a heart rate (HR) around 65% of the maximum HR (220-age in men and 226-age in women).
In this way, the use of body fat as the main energy fuel is guaranteed . In addition, unlike other cardiovascular activities, it preserves muscle mass.
Increase the release of serotonin
Serotonin is a fundamental neurotransmitter for the regulation of social behavior, emotions, mood and some physiological functions such as sleep, food and muscle contraction. Its deficit is related to some mental disorders, such as depression and eating disorders .
Exposure to sunlight and physical activity increase serotonin production. This means a better mood and a lower risk of depression and cognitive impairment. So what is better than going for a walk?
Promotes the synthesis of vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential to maintaining good bone, immune, and brain health. Our main source of vitamin D is the skin, that, in contact with the sun’s rays, transforms 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D3.
Thus, exposure to sunlight is essential, and for this, walking outdoors is perfect . The ideal would be to expose 10% of our body to the sun, every day, for 30 minutes without sun protection. Please, it is very important that you only expose yourself to the sun without protection during the mentioned period of time.
Going for a walk reduces blood pressure
Walking falls into the category of aerobic activities and is an ideal practice to keep blood pressure (BP) within a healthy range . A study prepared by Alvarez et al. (2013) found a significant reduction in BP in children, adolescents and adults, after a 60-minute aerobic session.
The Spanish Heart Foundation places it as one of the most suitable activities for the control of AT . For this, the World Health Organization recommends a weekly minimum of 150 minutes in sessions, not less than 10 minutes.
It helps keep blood glucose stable
Walking helps keep blood glucose levels stable. This is due to an increase in energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity during the 24-48 hours following the physical activity session . Thus, it becomes especially interesting in the prevention and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
It improves the health of the heart and blood vessels
Moderate physical activity, such as walking, improves the ability of the heart to contract . This makes your work more efficient and, therefore, last longer in perfect condition.
In addition, due to its vasodilator effect, going for a walk favors blood circulation , reduces the risk of circulatory collapse, and, therefore, decreases the risk of having a myocardial infarction or a stroke.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute clarifies that, to take advantage of its benefits, the practice of physical activity must be regular.
Going for a walk helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides
Going for a walk helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increases the proportion of HDL protein over LDL.
In addition, due to its effect on weight loss, it improves the action of drugs intended to reduce excess cholesterol. All this reduces the risk of suffering from ischemic diseases such as those mentioned in the previous point.
Improves adherence to physical activity
Going for a walk is free, does not require an extremely good physical condition, can be done anywhere and is free of schedules. All this favors your commitment to physical activity . In addition, it allows you to do it with anyone and this increases the adhesion even more.
As you can see, maintaining an active lifestyle is available to everyone and has many benefits. And now that you know, what are you waiting for?
