Is Walking Good or Bad

On average, every minute of walking can extend your life by 1.5 to 2 minutes.

• Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat per year.

• To burn off 1 plain M&M candy, you need to walk the full length of a football field. Think about that next time you dip your hand into a candy bowl at someone's office!

• Longer, moderately-paced daily walks (40 minutes at 60% to 65% maximum heart rate) are best for losing weight.

• Shorter, faster walks (20-25 minutes at 75% to 85% maximum heart rate) are best for conditioning your heart and lungs.

Walking provides the following benefits:

• Improves efficiency of your heart and lungs

• Burns body fat

• Raises your metabolism so you are burning calories faster, even while you rest

• Helps control your appetite

• Increases your energy

• Helps relieve stress

• Slows aging

• Lowers high blood pressure

• Helps control and prevent diabetes

• Reduces risk of some forms of cancer including colorectal, prostrate, and breast

• Promotes intestinal regularity

• Helps promote restful sleep

• Strengthens your bones and reduces bone density loss in older women

• Reduces stiffness in your joints due to inactivity or arthritis

• Relieves most cases of chronic backache

• Improves flexibility

• Improves posture

• Promotes healthier skin due to increased circulation

• Improves mental alertness and memory

• Spurs intellectual creativity and problem solving

• Elevates mood

• Helps prevent and/or reduce depression

• Improves your self-esteem

• Helps control addictions to nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and other drugs