A colleague of mine, Tyler Norris, recently shared "21 good, great and amazing reasons to get walking". I can't help but share them with you.1. Walking 20 minutes a day will burn 3.2kg of fat a year;2. Walking 45 minutes a day halves the odds of catching a cold;3. ONE minute of walking can extend life by 1.5-2 minutes;4. Walking 20-25 minutes a week can extend your life by several years;5. Seniors who walk 9-14 kilometers a week are less likely to suffer from mental decline as they age, including dementia;6. Walking 30 minutes a day FIVE days a week along with moderate diet changes can halve the risk of Type 2 diabetes;7. Walking 30 minutes a day, FIVE days a week can halve the risk of heart disease and reduce stress, cholesterol and blood pressure;8. Walking can reduce pain and improve function mobility mood and quality of life without worsening symptoms;9. Walking triggers endorphins, promotes relaxation and prevents anxiety and depression;10. Walking 14 kilometers a week can halve risk of Alzheimer's disease over FIVE years;11. Women who walk for ONE hour a day, FIVE days a week and consume 1500 calories a day can lose and keep off 11 kilograms;12. Walking 30 minutes a day, FOUR times a week can reduce the risk of diabetes by nearly 60%;13. Prostate cancer patients who walk 90 minutes a week have 50% lower mortality risk;14. Women who walk regularly are 31% less likely to develop colon cancer than those who exercise less than one hour a week;15. The economy benefits $8.50 each time a person walks 20 minutes to or from work [1];16. Strengthens bones , improves balance, increases muscle strength and endurance [2];17. Children who walk to school have higher overall physical activity throughout the day [3];18. Encourages social inclusion and community connectedness when walking with a group [4];19. Walking is free and doesn't require any special equipment or training [5];20. Boosts your Vitamin 4 levels [6]; and21. Contributes to a healthier environment [7].The resources for these statistics are from Tyler Norris and Every Body Walk! except where footnoted (excuse the pun). You might also consider putting your best foot forward and joining or starting a Heart Foundation Walking group in your area today.
