The benefits of walking are well-known. It’s a great exercise, and it can even be a good way to get some fresh air if you live in an urban area. But how many steps should you walk in a day? There isn’t really one answer for this question because everyone is different but the average recommendation is around 10,000-12,000 steps. Let’s take a look at what the average person can benefit from walking daily.
Benefits Of Walking Daily:
Helps In Weight Management
The more steps someone takes, the quicker they’ll lose weight. Studies show that walking 20 minutes per day can cut up to 12 pounds off in a year. Walking might not be as efficient as HIIT but it can definitely add up over time and help you shed those kilos.
Strengthens The Body
Walking strengthens the muscles and bones throughout your body. This includes everything from your feet to your hips, knees, and back! The stronger all these areas are better your athletic performance and posture. Walking 10,000 steps a day should be the minimum target you should aim for throughout the day. Use a pedometer app on your mobile phone or you can use an activity tracker like Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch and many others.
Improves Health
It reduces your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression. It also helps in improving lung function and helps in sweating those kilos off. When you keep your body active, it helps in improving immunity as well as boosting metabolism which has several benefits for your health.
Improves Sleep
Quality sleep is more likely with a daily walk because it helps you relax! And who doesn’t want better quality sleep? Aim to walk around 30 minutes a day for the best benefits. Researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of California found many ways on how walking affects your body’s rest and sleep cycle. In the study, they used some of their students as test subjects. Some were asked to walk on a treadmill for 45 minutes. While others sat quietly during the same period of time (rest control). After which, they were put into sleep chambers to monitor their sleep quality and it was found that students who walked had 41% better sleep quality than those who sat.
Low Impact Workout
It is an energy-efficient and low impact workout so it can be done by almost anyone! Don’t worry about all those jogging fears, walking has been shown to reduce your risk of injury just as much or even more than running. Plus you don’t have to spend money on fancy.