Hey there viewers! Do you struggle to fit in a daily workout? Are you
the opposite of a morning person? Well this video might help you out!
Today we’re talking about all the benefits a morning walk can bring to your life!
Could walking be the start of your fitness journey? Can it boost your mood?
Wait, it can tame that sweet tooth? We’re talking about all this and more. .
Let’s talk about that sweet tooth
If you’re like me, you love something sweet. But a sweet tooth can really hold back your fitness
goals, or sabotage your healthy eating. Turns out something as simple as walking can be the answer,
in fact some call it “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug!”
It’s true, studies show that just 15 minutes of walking can stop that sweet craving in its tracks.
Not only that, but it can actually reduce the amount of sweet stuff you eat later in stressful
situations. So the next time you wanna run to that bar of chocolate when things get stressful,
try strapping on some sneakers and walk around the block. Seems easy enough.
Speaking of cutting down on sugar, this could help you in another way…
Helps with Weight Loss
It’s no surprise that physical activity of any kind is pretty good for your body. It has so
many health benefits like keeping you healthy, slowing down aging, better sleep and a reduction
in stress levels…we could go on. Experts recommend about 150 minutes (or two and a half hours)
of moderate to high intensity activity per week. And guess what? Walking fits into this category!
Now, walking is not the most vigorous of activities, but it’s a start. If you’re just
beginning your weight loss journey don’t let the lack of intensity discourage you,
it’ll likely lead to more curiosity around the fitness world. Any way you slice it,
walking burns calories, and in the end when it comes to weight loss, that’s what you want, right?
Health professionals will also recommend that you take your
diet into consideration if you really want to see some progress on the scale.
But we can actually go a little deeper with the science here. Turns out that
regular walking can change the way your genes affect your body.
If you have obesity promoting genes, studies found that walking briskly for about 30 minutes
a day can cut those effects in half! Huh, I guess good habits really can run deep!
Another bonus is that it’s a really easy way to get in your exercise for the day.
If you live in a city of any kind, you likely walk a lot anyway. So it probably won’t be
too much of a stretch to add just a few more minutes of walking to your regular routine.
Plus you’ll get outside more, and those benefits are in our next point.
Improves your Mental Health According to a 2016 report
Americans clock in over 10 hours of screen time a day, that combined with other factors
means we’re spending less and less time outdoors. Nature can really help our mental state.
When you go for a walk, you’ll inevitably end up outside. You don’t have to hike up a
beautiful mountain peak or get lost in a thick forest to appreciate the effects of nature.
Even a stroll through your local park can tap into the healing powers mother nature has to offer.
Experts say even urban nature can boost your mood, improve your attention span,
lower your stress, and increase your capacity for empathy and working with others.
Not only that but starting the day on the right foot can up your mental clarity,
too. It was found that older folks who took a stroll early in the morning had better
cognitive performance than those who did not. And with improved mental clarity,
that leaves more space for the creative juices to get flowing. Research backs this up,
saying that you may be better at problem solving if you’re out walking in nature.
Now the benefits don’t stop there, the positive effects can last right up until bedtime!
Improved Sleep
Who doesn’t want to sleep better. We’re constantly told to get at least 7 to 9 hours
of sleep a night. It’s not always that easy. But a morning walk could give you the edge.
One study showed that older adults struggling with sleep issues like
insomnia or those who just couldn’t get to sleep, had better luck when they worked
out in the morning. More research is needed, but it seems pretty promising.
Since we’re on the topic of how walking helps your brain,
whether it be sleep or mood, here’s something else to consider.
It Could Help you Make Better Choices Throughout the Day
If you set yourself up for success, you have a better chance at winning your day.
A morning walk fits into this idea. Not only will the fresh air wake you up, but as we
discussed earlier, it’ll give you some clarity that you can take with you throughout the day.
So, when it comes to deciding what to eat later on, you’ll probably put more effort into it.
You won’t succumb so easily to that slice of pizza or unhealthy snacking.
And with improved sleep patterns you won’t be as exhausted when the day is done,
so you’ll have leftover energy to make yourself something healthy for supper.
Even if you don’t totally win your day when it comes to food, at least it’ll put you on the right
track to start forming some great healthy habits. And sometimes, just starting is half the battle.
A morning walk doesn’t just help your mind and brain though,
it helps another huge part of your system.
It Boosts your Immune System
This is a hot topic as we start to emerge from a global pandemic.
We’re all a little more health conscious than we were a few years ago and anything that’ll
help our immune systems is okay by us! Who knew it could be as easy as going for a walk?
One study of over 1000 people found that folks who walked for at least 20 minutes a day had
just over 40% fewer sick days overall than those who worked out less than once a week.
We all want to stay healthy, but it gets better. If you regularly walk,
you can not only avoid sickness altogether, but if you do get sick, it’ll be less severe,
and possibly shorter in duration. Those are a couple of huge wins if you ask us.
Since we’re on the topic of what walking can do for your body, here's something else…
It Can Help you Manage your Health
Ok quick recap: walking can help you be more alert, help you sleep better, boosts mental
clarity, gives you more energy, helps manage your weight… it can’t possibly do any more right? Well…
Turns out it can! Regular walking can lower your risk of:
Heart Disease: When you walk, you’re giving your heart a work out too. This can allow the heart to
pump blood more efficiently, which means it won’t have to work as hard. Less pressure on the heart
means less pressure on your organs and everything will just flow more smoothly.
One study says that walking for 30 minutes a day can reduce heart disease by almost 20%.
Developing Breast Cancer: Research states that women who walked for more than seven hours per
week had a 14% lower chance of breast cancer than those who only walked about 3 hours per week.
Joint Pain: Walking might be able to stop joint pain even before it starts.
Several studies have shown that walking can reduce arthritis pain,
but they also point out that you can halt it in its tracks if you walk five to six miles a week.
Now that you know some great health benefits let’s get into some particulars, like
Do I Need to Walk Before Breakfast, or After?
It looks like the jury is still out on whether you should walk, pre or post breakfast.
If you’re someone who likes to fast until lunch, then yeah, walk before you eat something.
Maybe start off with a glass of water and don’t work yourself too hard. Some studies show that
walking when you’re fasting can help you burn more fat but again, more studies are needed.
If you’re someone who can’t do anything before they eat or you
wanna power up with a protein rich meal before you hit the pavement,
then that’s perfectly fine. You just need to listen to what your body is telling you.
You can also split the difference and just have a banana,
or a healthy smoothie before you head out. Everyone is different and you can
be confident knowing you’re making the right choice for your body and needs.
Now if you’re one of those people who can’t do ANYTHING before a cup of coffee,
well you might be surprised. One small study says that a walk has the power
to energize you more than a regular cup of joe. We’ll leave the choice to you,
but if you’re looking to cut down on coffee, this might be a great work around.
Do I Need to Power Walk the Entire Time?
Experts say this totally depends on where you’re at, age wise and fitness wise.
We wanna be clear though, walking of any kind will be beneficial. If you’re younger and already
incorporate some level of fitness into your day, then yeah go for a power walk. If you’re older,
or you struggle with any mobility issues or pain, then just take it easy.
Walking can also be a great way to bridge the gap between your workout days
if you’re a regular gym goer. Instead of just sitting and doing nothing on rest days,
you can go out for a walk to keep your fitness up. If nothing else it’ll perk
you up and get you outside! And as we now know, getting outside can have some great benefits.
If walking is the only thing you can manage right now then that’s great, too! Like we said earlier,
walking is fantastic, and could open the door to more fitness in the future.
Walking sure does seem like a simple way to stay healthy. Let’s keep the
conversation going with a couple videos on that, shall we? Here’s what you need to know…
Watch: Walk 10 Miles Every Day And See What Happens To Your Body.You
can also try 7 types of Walking Styles That Can Boost Your Overall Health.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how walking can improve your
health. Where is your favorite place to take a walk? Let us know in the comments below!