Is Walking the New Jogging? 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Your Daily Stroll

Walking prevents atrophy and inactivation of the glutes

[halfpoint](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-164438012/stock-photo-senior-couple-walking-their-beagle-dog-in-autumn-countryside.html)Nowadays, most people are glued to their screens. We sit on our behinds for eight hours at work. We sit in the car to drive home. Then we sit to eat and move on to the TV, computer or video games for more sitting. Sitting for such prolonged periods of time inevitably causes atrophy and inactivation of the glutes. Unfortunately, merely standing upright will not keep your glutes strong. Frequent walking is the best way to activate the glutes. The buttocks tenses with every footfall in order to accept the load of your weight. The buttocks then tenses up again as you push off for another step.

Walking will boost your body’s glycemic control, especially in the aftermath of meals

[mauro\_grigollo](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-220363816/stock-photo-female-runner-tying-her-shoelace-outdoor.html)Studies have shown that a mere 15 minutes of walking following a meal will boost your body’s blood glucose control. This is especially true of senior citizens who suffer from poor glucose tolerance. Furthermore, walking after meals will improve your body’s triglyceride levels. Such a properly timed walk will even decrease your body’s blood pressure. Studies performed at the University of Tennessee and the University of Colorado at Boulder indicate that post-menopausal women who walk between one and two miles per day decreased their blood pressure by 11 points across a five month period of time.

Brisk walking might help you live a long life

[rusian\_gusov](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-203096389/stock-photo-senior-couple-in-gym-on-running-track.html)Results from a recent National Walkers’ Health Study show that the intensity of walking is one of the many predictors of one’s mortality risk. The study found that those who walk at a fast pace tend to live longer than those who walked slowly or at a moderate pace. If you are a slow walker, consider increasing your speed. It will help you burn more calories, shed more weight and possibly even prolong your life.

Walking will reduce your body fat

[william\_perugini](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-108720191/stock-photo-group-of-people-walking-outside.html)Though plenty of people have gotten into the habit of breaking away from the screen for “standing time”, standing won’t tone the muscles. Use your time more prudently by walking. Walk at a fast pace and it really will burn away some of your body fat. It is worth pointing out that walkers should make a concerted effort to plan their walking schedule. Walking as close as possible to your meal will help in your effort to lose weight.

Walking boosts blood circulation

[pikselstock](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-109879442/stock-photo-couple-working-out-in-park.html)Walking is excellent for heart health. It combats heart disease, elevates the heart rate and generally fortifies the heart. Researchers at Harvard’s School of Public Health found that women who walked half an hour per day decreased their risk of a stroke by 20 percent. Those who stepped up the walking pace reduced the odds of a stroke by 40 percent.

Walking even benefits the brain

[monkey\_business\_images](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-204799915/stock-photo-grandfather-and-granddaughter-walking-on-winter-beach.html)The average person believes that walking provides some physical health benefits. Yet most people are surprised to learn that walking also benefits mental health. Walking really does provide an array of cognitive benefits. It boosts memory in senior citizens, improves academic performance, betters cognitive control in pre-adolescents and can even heighten one’s creative abilities when performed in an outdoor setting. Those who walk the farthest during their walking sessions tend to perform better on logic and memory tests than those who cover less distance in the same time span. These low-ranking walkers also tend to have diminished grey matter volume in certain areas of the brain. Maybe this is why some famous philosophers like Aristotle incessantly walked around the classroom while educating their pupils.

Walking will help you build muscle

[minerva\_studio](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-119155675/stock-photo-happy-people-on-treadmills-in-the-gym.html)Though many believe that lifting weights, jogging or sprinting are the only surefire ways to strengthen muscles, walking will also do the job. Get into the habit of walking on a regular basis and you will soon notice that your abdominal, leg and arm muscles are more toned. Try to pump your arms forward and backward as you walk. This type of “power walking” will gradually enhance your range of motion if performed on a consistent basis across posterity.

Walking provides critical support for your body’s joints

[bikeriderlondon](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-144640304/stock-photo-low-angle-view-of-a-male-athlete-jumping-hurdle-against-the-sky.html)The vast majority of the body’s joint cartilage lacks a direct supply of blood. Joints obtain nutrition from joint fluid or synovial that moves through the body during physical activity. Impact that results from compression or movement like a vigorous walk around the block will transport critically important nutrients and oxygen to these areas. The bottom line is that those who do not walk will deprive their joints of essential fluids. The result of such inactivity is often a rapid deterioration of the joints.

Walking fortifies the bones

[de\_visu](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-313967363/stock-photo-an-elderly-woman-practices-nordic-walking-outdoors.html)Walking has the potential to prevent the loss of bone mass for those who suffer from osteoporosis. A study conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that post-menopausal women who enjoyed a half an hour walk each day decreased their risk of a hip fracture by a whopping 40 percent.

Walking provides a rush of energy

[tyler\_olson](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-62272123/stock-photo-a-woman-using-a-gps-in-the-forest-on-a-camping-hike.html)Consider what the average person does in the typical day. Most wake up, shower, eat, watch TV, or surf the world wide web. We then drive to work, sit for eight hours, drive home, eat, and stare into the screen. None of these activities spawns any sort of energy rush. Go for a brisk walk and you will enjoy an influx of energy that spills over into your non-walking activities. This phenomenon occurs due to the fact that walking increases blood circulation and stimulates the flow of oxygen throughout your body’s cells. Give walking a chance and you will undoubtedly feel more alert.