7 reasons to walk at least 30-minutes a day

My grandpa Winston was a hat-bearing fit gentleman who would ask me to drop him off in Butterworth just so that he could walk back to Penang Island! My cousin Richard walks an average of 20,000 steps a day – a phenomenal feat considering our minimum daily is 10,000 steps a day. Another cousin Madeleine and husband Hieu, owners of Taste Baguette share their secret. They walk an average of 15-hours a week and walk everywhere because she says, “We like to eat, so we need to walk!”.

“We walk to the shops, to the bank, to the post office, to visit our stores and walk with friends on the weekends to each other’s houses or to have brunch at the store”.

My retired uncle James is an early riser and starts his day with a daily walk of at least 45-minutes before heading back for breakfast. My father has begun a routine of jogging at least 30-minutes around the park in the mornings. I’ve found their stories immensely inspiring and have started on a walking spree myself! I walk to the train station to and from work, I walk to lunch, I walk whenever I find an opportunity to walk. I’ve been walking at least 30-minutes a day! And I love this way of ‘tricking’ my body into exercise.

Just a thought. If you’re reading this while seated, may I invite you to stand up? Go on, that’s the purpose of this article. Just stand and shake your legs, stretch and let the blood flow. Stretch your arms up high. Draw a deep breath and breathe out in two fast spurts. Think about walking. Just visualise it. Imagine it in your mind’s eye.

Here are SEVEN REASONS why you could consider walking at least 30-minutes a day. You won’t regret it once your waist starts to trim and find energy in your feet 😛

Reason 1

Walking is a simple yet great stress reliever. Walking increases your heart rate and helps you breath more efficiently and when you have a combination of these two, you’re bound to feel better already!

Reason 2

It improves your mood. Regular walking outdoors helps you enjoy natural sunlight, lovely scenery and fresh air which can help burn calories and build muscle—all while boosting your mood.

Reason 3

Time out walking gets your blood flowing through to your brains and soon you’ll be ticking with fresh ideas! Stuck on something? Go for a brisk walk and see if it helps.

Reason 4

It reduces your risks of chronic disease. Many university studies have proven that walking lowers your blood sugar levels and your overall risk for diabetes. Imagine… just walking alone can reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease by 30%.

Reason 5

Get rid of those unsightly varicose veins! Our venous system includes an area called ‘the second heart,’ which is formed by muscles, veins, and valves in our calf and feet. Here, blood is pushed back up to the heart and lungs so when you walk, you’re strengthening ‘the second heart’, boost blood flow and reduce varicose veins.

Reason 6

Get your digestive juices flowing and get more regular! As you walk and move, you tend to engage your core and your abdominal muscles, encouraging movement in your gastrointestinal system.

Reason 7

Lose weight! It’s a slow way but a sure way! It may take a month, or two but as you continue to walk, you will notice a tightening of your muscles, especially around your midsection, your legs and buttocks. Regular walking helps improve your body’s response to insulin, which can help reduce belly fat. Your metabolic rate increases too!

So these are the seven reasons but do you really need seven? Try adopt a walk a day now. Walk around the block, up and down the stairs, with a good friend or even with a client in the park. And do tell me about it if it works! Enjoy!!

Click image to join the MOVE-LAH campaign

Article by Jasmine Low, co-founder GoInternationalGroup.com’s Innovation Labs, where it’s incubating www.AsiaFitnessToday.com, fitness media and training startup that promotes fitness and wellness programs at the workplace.

Editorial Policy