Walk Every Day

While I often write about more active activities than walking, a lot of those activities are not really great for those just beginning their fitness journey. You’re likely not going to get out of the house and run for a few miles if you’re not already living an active lifestyle. The first step is to work on making your lifestyle active.

Beyond that, running and some of the other activities can be quite stressful on your body and joints. If you have injuries or just don’t respond well to those types of exercises, then you need something that isn’t as stressful on the body. Walking is a great way to fill that role. You should certainly consult your doctor regarding injuries and irregularities in your body.

Walking is a simple way to get many benefits without as much stress on your body. When you run, your feet and legs are striking the ground at different angles, and quite strongly. This can have a negative impact on joints, and other parts of your body. When walking, your feet are not striking the ground with such force. Of course, your heart rate isn’t regularly getting as high when walking compared to running, but that’s not the end of the world. If you’ve never run before, it can really take your breath away in just a couple of minutes.

Walking is also great for parents, and those with partners, as it’s much easier to walk with someone else than it is to run with them. There are certainly ways to run with your kids, but it’s a bit of work to get to that point. Being able to go on a walk with your kids, where they walk with you or you push them in a stroller can be a lot of fun for everyone. If your partner comes with you as well, you have the opportunity to talk in a generally calming environment.

Getting out for a walk of some kind everyday, especially when the weather is nice, is what you should aim for. This will allow you to get your heart rate elevated, and get your kids out of the house for a bit of time. Depending on where you live, you may be able to walk year round. If you live in an area where it’s too cold or snowy in the winter, then you’ll have to find other activities to do with the kids.

One of the other great benefits of walking is that it will help you to ultimately feel more energetic. Getting your heart rate elevated for a bit of time seems to energize you. In the long run, you’ll also feel like you can more easily play with your children without losing your breath so quickly. You’ll also find that simply doing things around the house will become easier the more that you get out and move.

Keeping an active lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard or overly time consuming. It will take a little bit of concerted effort on your part though. If you need some additional motivation, fitness trackers (like the Fitbit) can help you to stay on track and to get steps in throughout the day. While they’re helpful, you’ll still need to have the motivation yourself as well - they’ll help you to not forget though.

Get outside, take your entire family on a walk, and enjoy the world around you. You’ll get many benefits simply by moving your legs consistently each and every day.