Have you been gaining weight lately? Do you have high cholesterol levels? If your answer is yes, do not worry; we have one easy solution for you here. Many people face one of the conditions mentioned above due to their sedentary lifestyle. Here we will talk about the benefits of walking and how to practice mindful walking.
Lifestyle disorders have become very common these days. Every other person who is not conscious about their diet and lifestyle habits ends up suffering such ailments. To avoid this, it is essential to adopt healthy habits in your routine.
One of the best healthy habits to live healthily and improve longevity is walking. It provides various health benefits to everyone, from kids to the elderly, and enhances their overall fitness.
Walking requires no equipment, and it is kind of a fun activity to maintain your health. You can go out for it any time of the day with your friends & family or even alone. If you feel you cannot follow it consistently, join any walking club or group of people who can help you be consistent with your walk.
30 minutes every day
Walking is the easiest form of activity that can help you maintain your overall fitness. The key is to walk at least 30 minutes a day. Practicing this consistently can help you improve heart health, relieves stress, lose extra fat, strengthen bones and muscle, enhances stamina, and others. Not only this, but it also prevents, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, & other lifestyle diseases.
A study suggests that to stay healthy, an adult should practice aerobic physical activity 150 to 300 minutes per week with moderate intensity and muscle-strengthening exercise 2 to 3 times a week. For the elderly, it is advised to practice physical activity 150 to 300 minutes per week (as per their capacity), and along with that, they must get training in balancing.
Warm-up before walking
Warming up your body before walking helps to prepare your body before the activity. It raises the body temperature and enhances blood flow to your muscles. As a result, you will not end up having muscle soreness while walking.
You can do simple stretches or just start your walk slowly for at least 5 minutes. Later, you can pick up the speed and continue walking for the rest of the 25 minutes.
Mindful walking:
Mindfulness is a technique of being in a state of awareness of whatever you are doing or observing. Mindful walking can help you feel connected to yourself and your surroundings.
Method:
Bring your attention to breathing patterns. Keep your spine straight and pull your shoulders back while walking. Observe your breath; as you inhale, imbibe the good vibes from the nature around you. On the other hand, as you exhale, drop out all your worries and negative thoughts. Do this for 2 minutes without any distraction.
After this, take your focus to the feet. Feel the touch of your feet with the shoes touching the ground. Observe how the foot rolls from heel to toe with each step. Continue practicing this for 2 minutes. Remember not to get distracted at all.
For mindful walking, you need to walk outside in the park, forest near your home, or garden – basically anywhere near nature. Also, it would be better to go alone for such walks. Walking with other people can make you talk and discuss other things. You must avoid chatting or communicating with others while mindful walking.
Be consistent with your 30-minute walking and you will see tremendous health benefits within a week. While going for a 30-minute walk outside in nature you can also spare 4 minutes for mindful walking which will keep you connected with yourself. As a result, you will feel fresh, active, and happy throughout the day.
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