A daily walk is so underestimated

[QwertyWitch]

A daily walk is crucial to wellbeing (if physically able)
Emotional, physical and mental. It should be promoted more but many people don't realise the importance of it.
I wonder if people got scared off 10k steps a day but even 4K steps does a lot of good.
Should there be more promotion?

I'd be really interested to know if you have found any particular websites good for planning walks especially when abroad

Thank you for sharing, I'm glad walking has helped you -and your old lady friend sounds wonderful - what an inspiration she is!

As a single parent who works full time I am not sure my life has been 'easy' as you put it. But yes, have found time for regular walks, with DD when she was little.

I drive everywhere on my legs!

it helps my mood, breathing and counts as exercise.

Thankyou x

It’s good for reducing cognitive decline too ) if walking briskly). I used to love walking but now I live somewhere shit where no one walks. So I’ve stopped walking as it’s just so lonely walking these empty streets. Lockdown made me hate walking alone too

I don't walk round my streets either, Beer I go into my busy city centre and walk round there, shopping/window shopping. Can you do this? Nearest city or town?

But that's the joy of it, you have the time to look around and see what is happening, chat to others you meet out walking. Zooming around on a bike, having to negotiate traffic, is not my idea of fun.

Weekends?

This has inspired me! How long should your walk be each day?

@StellaCruella do what you can. Even a 10-15 min brisk walk will have benefits.
I've done a 20 minutes or so brisk walk around the park this morning and have clocked up 3.4K steps.
Some days that's what I manage, some days over 10k.

Haven’t RTFT but as per the article, any form of full body low-intensity exercise has the same impact:

“Walking and other low-intensity forms of exercise are associated with a reduction in cortisol and increased feelings of wellness and relaxation,” Dr MacRae explains.”

So if you’re not able to walk comfortably, you could still do something like gentle swimming which is super low impact but full body, and can be done with people who need a cane to walk, for example. I appreciate swimming does cost money, generally speaking, vs walking.

Such a good point. Too many people obsess about going (driving) to the gym, when walking is so accessible and free, and so beneficial. I don't understand how people can not walk - I rack up at least an hour a day walking for nursery drop off/pick up, to the station to get to the office, to the supermarket etc., without even going for an intentional walk.

My GP told me to do a 30 minute brisk walk and then I'll be fine, apparently.

It is mine! The faster the better.

The Komoot app is good for this. It has bike rides too.

Too many people obsess about going (driving) to the gym, when walking is so accessible and free, and so beneficial.

It doesn't make anyone any money so it's not pushed as a lifestyle on social media etc, the "health and wellbeing" industry rinsing people for every penny they can get pushing a certain image, so people equate gym = fitness, cue people buying all sorts of gym wear, supplements etc. Although I do go to the gym myself, but it's the first thing to drop off my priority list if I've got a busy day, walk is my top priority. Don't get me started on protein.

@FriendlyRobin I’m up for a thread ! Years ago I was able to run 10k though usually stuck to 4 to 5k at 6am, would come home and walk the dog for an hour to 1.5 hours . Later in the day I often went to the allotment and dug that.

Then I got an inflammatory arthritis and it turned out I was born with hip dysplasia and had severe osteoarthritis in that hip. I had hormone treatment and piled on a load of weight which hasn’t helped though I am slowly losing , feels weird to lose a couple of stone and my mobility decline ! It got to the stage where sitting on the sofa breathing hurt my hip.

6 weeks ago I finally got a new hip which makes me feel old saying. I’m mid 50s and have there are actually a fair few people much younger than me on the forums. Have had Covid or similar the last couple of weeks so my progress has halted a fair amount but saw the physio for my 6 week appointment (went home and have booked a private session as he is good but it was a check up rather than physio session. He wants me to be off crutches now and just take a folding stick in case I need it.

Have done my 4 sets of physio this morning and gearing up to going for a walk, however long or small it ends up. I was at a km with one crutch 2 weeks ago but have gone backwards a bit so starting from scratch with no support.

@sunseaandsoundingoff

Do you actually walk outside, a proper walk or just accumulate the steps at work/housework etc?

Attitudes like this are what put me off walking, amongst people who promote walking someone will always have to do it by acting superior and putting down people who have interests like TV and gaming. I don’t disagree that walking is good for me but honestly, being aggressively told ‘get off your ass’ makes me put my defences up and not want to follow the advice. Choosing to go for a walk over watching TV doesn’t make you a better or more superior person but that always seems to be the vibe some people insist on pushing.

It's easy to say go for a walk but I wouldn't fancy it so much in a town or city. I live on the edge of a village and DH and I walk down country lanes every day for about an hour. It still gets a bit samey so we do sometimes get in the car and drive to the river or another location.
I find it's the light and fresh air that's as beneficial as the exercise.
I have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis but keeping moving is always helpful.

It's also better for me if I have either a companion or a podcast. I loathe "exercise" in the form of running, gym, sport etc and can never motivate myself to keep them up. Walking I actually enjoy.

Same. It’s so smug and dull, isn’t it? I suspect I probably walk more than that poster (2 hours a day with my dog, plus school runs etc) but it makes me want to give it all up to sit on my arse and watch TV 😁

The poster I was replying to was suggesting people could walk 5 days a week.
Most weekends have 2 days.

That's not quite the same as going out for 3-4 mile walks 5 times a week.

People use cars for a reason.
My normal day is, 2min walk to bus stop, DC on the bus. Drive 30min to work. Drive to school collect LO between 5.30 and 5.50 depending on traffic, drive home. Sort food, feed kids, chill pjs bed.

Where are you meant to fit in hour long strolls?

Exactly, mine too after 9pm when kids are in bed. Or doing the ironing.
When I worked in the city it I must have done thousands of steps, to / from stations.
Out of town office park and days pinned at both ends by school drop off and afterschool pick up, it's just not easy.