The Most Underrated Exercise You Should be doing EVERYDAY

Any guesses?

WALKING!!!!!

That's right, walking is the MOST underrated exercise that many of us should be doing more of. I'll admit, I have disregarded walking for years! "How can it possibly be effective you don't even sweat?" "It's a waste of time, you don't even get your heart rate up!" "Why would I waste time walking when I can burn triple the calories running?" I've said it and heard it all!

Thankfully my way of thinking has changed over the years as I've learned more about the benefits of walking for overall health and wellbeing. Here's a few of those benefits,

• hormone balancing

• lowered blood pressure

• Vitamin D exposure

• Increased energy

• Lowered cholesterol

• Reduced risk of heart disease

• Increased bone density

• Better immune function

• Increased daily calorie burn

• Better digestion

• De-stressing

• Mood boosting

• Weight loss

So many more benefits can be achieved by just walking!

Just as with starting a new workout program, there are some ways to begin incorporating walking into our daily routine. A few are,

• start slow - don't head out on an hour long walk right out the gates. 10-15 minutes is a great starting point!

• Walk with a friend or family member - make it more social and the time will fly by!

• Pop in your earbuds - listen to a podcast, an audible book or your favorite tunes!

• Open your eyes - don't forget to look around you and enjoy nature if you can!

• If using a treadmill - add some rolling hills or intervals of a faster walking pace.

• Set a goal - whether that be steps or time set small goals each week to improve upon.

Why not start today! Head outside for a short or long walk and start making it a daily habit! Before you know it, you'll be a walking pro and might even find you like it!