As part of a number of national and international incentives to encourage people to exercise more, you can take part in Walk to Work Day. This year it is being held on April 3rd,, as this popular event is always held on the first Friday in April. The first Walk to Work Day was held in 2004 and the US secretary of health and human services, Tommy G Thompson, was responsible for its inauguration. The aim is to encourage people to ditch their cars and public transport for the day and rely on their own two feet to get them to and from work.
It is recommended that people exercise for up to 60 minutes a day. If walking is the chosen form of exercise, this should be completed on five days a week. You have to make sure that your posture is right when you walk so that you obtain the maximum health benefits.
What are the health benefits from walking? When undertaken regularly, walking can help to reduce the chances of you getting cancer, reduce the chance of type 2 diabetes, help with anxiety and depression, and help fight heart disease. You can also see a higher life expectancy, even if you suffer from conditions such as high blood pressure. You can expect to see an improvement in bone health, particularly the strengthening of your hip bone, and you can expect to see a drop in your levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol.
The CDC has issued a fact sheet outlining how walking regularly can affect your mortality and this information is useful for everyone, no matter how old they are or what their fitness level is. There is plenty of information on walking available on the Internet and you can find tips on things such as the best shoes to wear when walking.
Not everyone is in a position to give up their car for a day and walk to work. If you work more than a couple of miles from home then it is going to be very difficult for you unless you are prepared to get up extremely early and set off while it is still dark! If this applies to you, you do not have to miss out on the benefits of National Walk to Work Day.
Take your car to work as usual and then simply use your lunch break to take a good walk. Most people can do this easily enough and many people who make the effort on this day realize just how good walking can make them feel and make an effort to do it more often afterwards.
If a walk during your lunch break is not a practical option, why not include the whole family in a walk after dinner in the evening? Walking can help people of all ages. There are concerns about the health of young people, as they tend to consume more fast food, and starting to walk on a regular basis is something that will help them a great deal by making them fitter and healthier.
