By Bernadette Love, KState Extension
Walking, like many other forms of exercise, offers many benefits for your body. Besides being inexpensive, convenient, and fun, walking can help to strengthen the heart and lungs, nourish joints, build bones, fight osteoporosis, burn calories, control weight, reduce stress, improve mood, and boost energy.
Walking is safer and puts less stress on the body than most other forms of aerobic exercise – the kind that builds stamina and boosts cardiovascular fitness. It is an especially good exercise choice for people who are older or who have been less active.
Group walking can provide social support, motivation, reinforcement, and assistance with problem solving to help members become and stay active in an exercise program. Having a group leader watch the group and be a role model for how to properly exercise and how to find resources for a healthy lifestyle can be extremely helpful in a successful group.
Join the Walk Kansas program for accountability from teammates. Anyone from anywhere can join. Go to www.walkkansasonline.org to sign up, or contact our office at blove@ksu.edu with questions.
