At work we've started the collective effort to walk more, with many of us participating in a program called "Walktober." It got me thinking about walking, and how it's such a wonderful way to move our bodies, but tends to get a bad rap, especially with the "fitter" crowd.

Walking tends to get overlooked as a way to get healthy and as a way to get or stay in shape for a variety of reasons. We think a higher intensity activity is the only way to go. We think it's boring, or time-consuming, or too simple. It's not social enough, or it's too social (if we walk with friends). It's something "old people" do.

Health and fitness experts agree that walking is one of the BEST ways to move your body.

It's free, it's easy, it's safe, and it's convenient.

So, how much of it do we have to do to gain benefits?

Most experts agree on 10,000 steps a day. More is better, when it comes to walking, so if you can beat that number you'll get even more benefits, which can include

*Better sleep

*Decreased anxiety

*Increased memory recall

*Decreased waist circumference

*Increased bone mass

*Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke

*Decreased stress

*Increased energy

*The list goes on...

A fitness tracker is a great tool to track your steps each day. Some models offer heart rate stats, sleep stats, calories burned, etc. Click HERE for a review of 2017's top models.

Find excuses to move your body more, whether it's taking the stairs, parking farther away from your destination, moving around the classroom more, or taking a walk during lunch. (See my prior blog post--Sitting is the New Smoking--for ideas to keep moving throughout the day).

Always yours in health,