1. Walking is great for your body. Let's start with the basics: regular walking has a positive impact on your heart health by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Walking also boosts your bone density and has shown to improve overall quality of life.
2. You'll stick with it. Now that we know some of the key health benefits of walking, you may be wondering: Why should I join a club? The answer is simple: to be able to stick to a great, new fitness routine. Statistics show that 70 per cent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first six months. Why? Mostly because they just aren’t motivated.
A walking club can provide that little bit of positive peer pressure that will get you outside and on your feet. "People are more motivated and likely to show up and participate if they are part of a group activity," says Michele Crowley, physical activity promoter with the Haldimand-Norfolk County Health Unit in Ontario.
3. You'll lose weight. Walking for 30 minutes (the minimum for many walking clubs) burns about 125 calories. If this doesn't sound like much, just think if you walk five days a week for a whole year, you'll burn 32,500 calories and more than 5 kg of fat. Tip: The best fat-burning effects of walking kick in about 30 to 40 minutes after the start of a walk, so if you walk for more than 30 minutes at a stretch, you'll lose more weight.
Page 1 of 2 - Check out page 2 for more great reasons to join a walking club.
