8 surprising benefits of brisk walking

What is it about brisk walking, a simple act of pacing fast, that has been garnering much attention in the fitness world? It has all the perks and benefits of high-intensity workouts, but with less strain on the body, which makes it a perfect fitness regime for people of all ages. Several studies talk about multiple benefits of this walking style including weight loss and heart health.According to National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the suggested maximum speed is 4.5 mph. In case, you are wondering how much time should you give to this exercise, begin with at least 30 minutes per day. Let’s understand all the amazing benefits of brisk walking in this article.

Brisk walking, a big stride towards wellness

Taking a big stride towards overall health could start with a simple yet one of the most effective workouts – brisk walk. Walking a mile or two at a faster pace could not only reduce your waistline but also keep many serious illnesses including type II diabetes and cancer at bay.
Not without a reason, doctors hand out prescription to many patients with advice to go for daily walks, preferably intense ones. It’s not hard to start the day with brisk walk, unlike gym and yoga classes. If you find brisk walk too much for you in the beginning, you can gradually step up the speed. Apart from physical health benefits, brisk walk reduces stress, improves cognition and lifts mood.

Benefits of brisk walking

Improves heart health

Speeding up your pace could give a huge boost to your heart health and keep heart attacks and other cardiac ailments at bay. According to a study published in European Heart Journal, people who were brisk walkers may reduce their risk of dying from heart disease in half, when compared to people walking at a slow pace. Whether you are a youngster or an elderly, your daily brisk walk sessions can work wonders for your heart health.

Prevents diabetes

Walking at a fast pace can also cut your diabetes risk and is also good for blood sugar management. This crucial lifestyle change will help ward off this chronic disease. According to a systematic review published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, people who follow fairly brisk walking (3–4 miles/hour or 4.8–6.4 km/hour) were at a 24 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those with easy or casual walking.

Keeps cancer at bay

While many cancer causes are genetic and environmental, others could strike due to lifestyle issues like obesity. According to Cancer Research UK, too much body fat can spike levels of growth hormones, which tells cells to divide more often, and increase risk of cancer. 11 minutes of brisk walk every day can lower your risk of stroke, heart disease and a number of cancers, a new study from Cambridge University suggests.

Aids in weight loss

Adding a brisk walk routine can help you burn calories faster and more efficiently. The pace of your walking is directly associated with the calories you burn. As per a Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise study, when people increased their pace to a run, they burned more calories. Here increasing pace could also mean you can just walk briskly if running isn’t feasible for you.

Boosts mental health

Walking at a brisk pace can be quite useful for your brain. Walking improves blood circulation to your brain. When it gets better oxygen and nutrients, it performs well, improving your focus and memory. A 10-minutes brisk walking session can increase mental alertness, energy and positive mood.

Strong bones

Brisk walking is also recommended for maintaining your bone and joint health. A study published in PLOS journal shows that walking briskly at a minimum pace of 3 mph for 30-60 minutes 5 days can help maintain bone strength.

Longevity

Last, but not the least, walking at a brisk speed is associated with better longevity. A study published in the journal Communications Biology, a faster walking pace was associated with fewer markers of aging in a large group of older adults and may reduce markers of aging by as much as 16 years by midlife.