This Monday, Start Walking With Your Heart in Mind

Walk For Heart Health

Being more active can offer many benefits to your health. It can help reduce stress, build muscles, and increase your endurance. It can also boost your heart health! Walking is something many of us do every day, several times a day. When it’s done for more than 30 minutes a day, it can be a great exercise for people at almost any level of fitness.

Walking Can Be a Perfect Low-Impact Activity

Some people are a bit daunted by the idea of exercise or may not feel like they’re in the condition to take on something physically demanding. But walking can be an ideal low-impact activity for people who are just starting a fitness routine, coming back after a medical recovery or even pursuing something more challenging. Thirty minutes of brisk walking every day can add up to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate physical activity you get every week, even if that 30 minutes is broken up into 10- or 15-minute walks.

According to the American Heart Association, a daily walking routine can benefit your cardiovascular system by reducing your risk for several conditions such as heart disease and stroke, obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes (as well as osteoporosis and breast and colon cancer). If the physical rewards weren’t enough, walking also burns calories, keeps your muscles strong, and reduces stress. And all you have to do is walk!

Start Monday and Keep Moving

If you can devote 30 minutes to walking a Monday Mile during your day, that’s great! But there are many ways to incorporate more walking into your daily routine that can be done throughout the day. If you have a dog, take him or her for a walk instead of staying in the backyard. If you drive a car, park farther away from your destination and walk the rest of the way. Taking stairs instead of an elevator is another way to squeeze in a few steps; it also provides an added challenge and changes up your terrain. You can even take a walk around your office and hold “walk-and-talk” meetings.

This Monday, get walking for a healthier heart! Seek ways to keep it up all week, and let each Monday be a reminder to stay on track.

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