Feeling Better Every Day: Why Walking is So Great For YOU!

Ok, so you want to get healthier. Walking seems like a good choice. After all, no real cost, unless you have to buy more comfortable shoes - and lots of benefits to enjoy!

Why Walking is So Great For YOU!

No cost-you can walk anywhere and wear anything presentable
You can walk by yourself, with your dog, with friends or make new friends in a walking group.
The health benefits are essentially the same as running, only walking takes a little longer to do!
It can be done inside or outside.
All ages can enjoy it! (Always keep in mind there are those that can no longer walk that would give anything to go walking with you!)

My reasons:

I can spend time with my dog and see and hear nature all at the same time. I am gradually getting myself in better shape and can gradually transition into running later on. I can fit it into my schedule always and in general, it makes me feel better mentally and physically!

Equipment you may want to think about:

You should have comfortable clothes that match the weather.
You may need to invest in different shoes if you find your current shoes hurt your feet. If that is the case, I would go to an athletic shoe store. In my case, when I'm walking far enough and long enough, I just wear my running shoes. Just know that there are many shoes available specifically designed just for walking. At an athletic shoe store they can take into account YOUR feet and ensure that the shoes will not only fit but meet your needs. Maybe you will need shoes designed for tough outside elements, almost like hiking boots. Perhaps, you walk inside (as in a mall) and need shoes with a different type of support.
You may want to invest in a pedometer. There are tons of these available, but if you're just starting-or getting back into this as I am-I bought a very basic one. It will tell me the steps and distance I've walked. That is it. Doesn't cost much and it meets my needs. Later on, I may upgrade but my $5-8 investment works just fine for now!

Freebie to Keep Up With Your Steps!

If you want an easy way to track your steps to see if you're improving, here is a spreadsheet so you can simply put an “x” in the square as you walk it. (Example: 2100 steps, I'd put an “x” in the 1^st and 2^nd box. As the week progresses, you can check for consistency/improvement and get a feel for how far you've walked, step-wise, that week.

walking/running

square=1000 steps