How to maximize the benefits of the walk?
It is now known to everyone that Physical activity, even moderate, is essential for the well -being of our body – at all ages – and it should never be forgotten.
It is not necessary to go to the gym to appreciate the benefits of the movement: it is possible, in fact, to train at home or in the open air. If we are really lazy and we don’t like to play sports, just a quick -step walk made every day.
We often hear about the need for Take 10,000 steps a day to stay healthybut is it really necessary to reach this “milestone” to warn the benefits of the walk?
In reality, no: it is an indicative figure, on which several factors weigh – including our age, our body weight, our level of training, the possible presence of previous pathologies, our objectives (weight loss, muscle toning, improvement of breathing …).
There is no scientific evidence to demonstrate that 10,000 steps a day are the “magic formula” for our well -being – much better to listen to our body and try to understand what our real needs are to calibrate our daily walk on them.
Here are some tips to make this activity truly effective for us, beyond the number of steps made or the calories burned.
How many steps to take every day?
As we said, the number of steps that each of us should make every day varies a lot from person to person.
But not only: as shown by a recent studyjust travel between 6,000 and 8,000 steps to see the risk of premature death reduced by 54% if you are over sixty years old, and between 8,000 and 10,000 steps for those who are less than sixty years old.
This does not mean that we cannot allow us very long walks and walk several kilometers on foot. It is only the scientific proof that no titanic efforts are needed to feel good, a small constant commitment over time is enough to avoid the risk of diseases and early death.
A small improvement per day
If we don’t walk much, going from zero to 8,000 steps a day may seem like an arduous company. Progressiveness is the key to adapting the body without overloading it, and this is supported by the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, WHO recommends increasing physical activity gradually, starting with small daily doses to progressively adapt the muscles and the cardiovascular system.
A good starting point could be walking 500 steps a day. From there, you can increase the number of 500 steps every week, slowly improving your resistance. The important thing is to be constant and listen to your body. After a few weeks, the body will get used to this new routine and it will be possible to travel longer distances without excessive fatigue.
According to WHO, physical activity can be divided into short periods, therefore even a 10-15 minutes walk every day can make a difference, especially for those who start from a sedentary lifestyle. The gradual adaptation reduces the risk of accidents and improves motivation, allowing to consolidate a healthy and lasting habit.
You don’t need a counterpower
To start the practice of daily walk, there is no need to buy precision technical instruments: in fact there are many applications for mobile phone that count our steps in a rather accurate way (some of these, even, even they pay us to walk).
These are not precision instruments, of course, but it doesn’t matter: the important thing is that they provide us with an orientation indication of the number of steps made, which we will then bind to a certain path and a given time interval.
Once we have learned what our 6,000/8,000 steps correspond to distance and time, we will not need any instrumentation but we can rely on memory alone.
The speed does not count
We unhinge another dogma: The walk, to be effective, must not be done quickly – Sammare at a normal rhythm brings the same benefits for our health. As several studies confirm, it is the distance traveled – or the number of steps – that makes the difference.
Obviously, if we are young and healthy, we can increase the intensity of our walk by proceeding at a more sent step to amplify (but only slightly) the benefits of this practice.
The goal is not weight loss
Despite all its health benefits, walking is not the main method for losing weight. Although walking daily can contribute to an improvement in physical fitness and metabolism, the amount of calories burned with this activity is relatively low compared to other more intense forms of exercise.
For example, walking 10,000 steps a day can burn about 500 calories, which is only a small part of what is necessary for effective weight loss. If your main goal is weight loss, you should consider other activities that burn more calories in less time, such as running, high intensity training or weight training.
Studies conducted by researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have shown that high intensity physical activity, combined with a healthy and balanced diet, is more effective for weight loss than prolonged walks. The walk, however, remains an excellent complement to any weight loss program, as it helps to keep the metabolism active and reduce stress.
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