Walking has many positive impacts on our physical and mental health:
- Reinforces the heart and bones
- Regulates intestinal function
- Reduces blood pressure
- Increases good cholesterol
- Substantially reduces the risk of a stroke
- Facilitates digestion after a meal and helps burn more calories
It’s a simple, accessible and cheap exercise, because you don’t need any special equipment to get started! Moreover, it’s a safe exercise, because it’s easy to control its intensity, by simply walking slower or faster.
Richard Chevalier, physical educator, M. Sc in physiology
Despite its proven benefits, it can be difficult to motivate oneself to walk. Here are 5 strategies to motivate yourself to walk regularly:
1. Walking With a Partner
A good partner can motivate you to walk when you’re not in the mood, or when the weather isn’t the best. Once you’ve integrated walking into your routine, it will be difficult to convince your partner to skip a day.
2. Walking While Listening to Music
When walking alone, time passes much faster when you listen to music. You can also multitask: walk while listening to a podcast or the news.
3. Walking With a Step Counter or Calorie Counter
There is nothing more motivating than a personal challenge. Set yourself a goal, either of steps to do or of calories to burn in one day, and walk until you’ve achieved your goal. Even better, you can compete with your partner: for example, the person with the least amount of steps in one week buys coffees after the next walk.
4. Mixing Up your Itinerary
Find interesting walking paths in your neighborhood: a nature park, along a canal, the street with the nicest houses, etc. Alternate between these areas to avoid redundancy. Every now and then, try going for a hike. Hiking’s natural calming effect is very effective against the stress of urban life.
5. Wearing the Right Shoes
Choose a good, comfortable and flexible shoe. This will make your walk much more pleasant. Consult a professional in a specialized boutique if necessary.
With these strategies, you can take advantage of the benefits of this exercise, which once integrated in your daily routine, contributes to the establishment of healthy and balanced lifestyle habits.
