The Aerobic Benefits of Walking

Numerous health studies have shown that walking is an outstanding form of exercise, with benefits for the cardiovascular system, muscle tone, resistance to type 2 diabetes, and overall well-being. Walking just 30 minutes a day, 3-4 days each week, can show dramatic health improvements within 24 months. Beyond the immediate physical benefits are the psycho-social benefits, in that walks are typically a social activity. Many forms of exercise are too strenuous or physically separating to stimulate or even support conversation, but walking is ideal for the interpersonal connections that it stimulates.

Yet walking gets very little respect in the traditional fitness world. It may suffer because it does not require specialized equipment, costuming or training. It is not necessary to join a Walking Gym or be a Certified Walking Practitioner. We learned to walk early in life and maintain that capability well into our golden years.
What keeps us from walking? Many times the social aspect of walking, although appealing, also is the limiting factor. Most people like to walk with others, yet social groups may not think of scheduling walking events. As a result, not a lot of walking gets done. Once a social group gets started with regular walking get-togethers, nothing short of a hurricane can break the schedule.



Recently, a web site launched that is focused on coordinating this type of social fitness activity. WannaBuddy.com was created to help people find others who share their passion for healthy living and an active lifestyle. Many people have found walking buddies through WannaBuddy and are healthier because of it.

While many people would benefit from walking three to five times a week, a lack of walking partners has kept them indoors. Now with WannaBuddy.com, there is no excuse.

1 comment:

  1. Having a walking buddy makes a huge difference when it's 6:30 am, and getting cooler and darker as we edge toward Fall and Winter. Knowing that someone else is counting on you being there to walk each morning is both a motivator and a responsibility. Sometimes that is what gets me out of bed in the morning and out to walk, not just my commitment to myself and my own health.

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