During corona, walking has become popular hobby number 1. Not necessarily because we saw the benefits of walking en masse. It was mainly because there was not much to do and it was nice to get some fresh air and occasionally do something remotely with friends. The corona period is of course not over yet, so we just keep walking for a while – and it’s smart to keep doing it after that.
Have you lost the motivation to walk a bit? Try to make the best of it anyway.
10,000 steps a day
If you don’t exercise enough, you have an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By walking daily you actually reduce that risk. You may have heard that you should take 10,000 steps a day. That’s advice from Dr. Yoshiro Hatano from 1964.
This is almost impossible for most people. According to Thea Kooiman, who obtained her PhD at the University of Groningen, 8,000 steps is a better guideline. You could take 5,000 steps during your normal activities. If you then walk for another half hour, you can add 3,000 steps to that.
Reduces the risk of all kinds of diseases
By taking that number of steps daily, you reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But not only that. Walking is good for your lungs, it improves your digestion, it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, it decreases the risk of breast cancer and it increases the chance of survival from prostate cancer.
A real miracle cure for your body.
Walking is also very effective for low back pain. That low back pain often comes from sitting too much – behind a desk. To prevent you from getting a lot of trouble from this, walking is the solution.
Walking also contributes to a good night’s sleep. And that is super healthy for you.
A detour for your brain
Walking has a positive effect on the brain and mental health. Walking makes you more productive and gives you energy. Walking is also the ideal way to relax and it makes you more creative. Do you suffer from a dip or do you get stuck with your work? Then walking might be the solution.
That’s how you like it
Are you a little tired of walking after almost two years of corona? we get itHopefully, the benefits of walking will keep you motivated a bit. Also, keep it nice for yourself. Make a walking playlist with only music that makes you happy, put on an interesting podcast or make it an outing with your friends.
There are also apps that help you stay motivated. A pedometer of course keeps track of your steps and motivates you to take a walk around the block. The Brain Foundation’s Ommetje app not only keeps track of your activities, but also shares educational brain facts.
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This is the number of steps you should take every day and why