Everyone knows that exercise is beneficial. Many people may incorporate some type of exercise into their day. Yet others find adding this important component to their schedule more challenging. If you want to be healthy and enjoy a better quality of life, including exercise in your day is vital.
You don’t need expensive gym memberships or special equipment. Your exercise routine doesn’t even need to be difficult or take hours. You can get your exercise in by walking to work, if that’s possible. It’s simple and doable for many people.
Walking To Work Benefits
If you’re like the vast majority of people, you may make promises to yourself to be healthier, or you may make efforts now and then, but sticking with regular exercise is difficult. That’s why it’s a great idea to implement short-term exercise into your daily routine. Then you’ll be more likely to do it. Walking to work is an easy way to accomplish this goal. If you walk to work, you will be a step ahead in your efforts to make your life healthier.
Some benefits of walking to work are listed below.
Good Cardio Exercise
Walking is an excellent way to get your heart pumping. You’ll get a cardio workout when your heart pumps higher than its resting rate. This is necessary for good heart health. Doctors recommend that people include approximately 15 minutes of cardio exercise a day. If you walk to work each day, you might meet your quota before the weekend. If not, you can make up the difference during the weekend.
Remember that you’ll need to walk at a certain pace to get your heart rate up for the cardio workout. You should target your heart rate to be between 50% and 85% of your maximum heart rate. The maximum heart rate for each person varies. You can calculate it by subtracting your age from 220.
Weight-Bearing Exercise
When you participate in walking, you’re not only getting a cardio workout, you’ll be engaging in weight-bearing exercise. Although this may not be a strength training exercise, it does help build muscular endurance since you must support your own body weight.
Easy to Do
Walking is an easy exercise for anyone to do. It doesn’t require any skills, special talents, or equipment. Just make sure you have a good pair of shoes and you’ll be on your way.
Uplifts Your Mood
Any cardio exercise will make you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. When you get your heart rate up through walking, your body releases endorphins, which give you a “happy” feeling. This is ideal for those who walk to work. You’ll be more likely to have a more productive and pleasant day when your spirits are uplifted.
How Much Should You Walk?
You don’t need to walk an extensive amount of time each day. In fact, you can gain plenty of benefits from walking 20 minutes a day. You’ll improve your health and mindset by simply taking time to walk to work if possible. If you live near your workplace, this is an ideal way to exercise regularly and feel energized when you get to work. This can encourage a positive work culture, too.
If your workplace is a 20-minute walk from home, then you’ll have 40 minutes total a day. The CDC suggests that adults get 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. You’ll be close to your goal if you walk to work three times a week.
Jobs That Require Added Exercise
Sedentary jobs that involve being at a desk, working on a computer all day don’t allow for exercise. Any type of desk job will fall into this category because of prolonged sitting. These types of jobs are as follows:
- Secretary
- Administrative assistant
- Customer services
- Call center representative
- Accountant
This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it gives you an idea of what types of jobs fall into this category.
Some of the side effects of sitting too long on a computer include:
- Lack of exercise
- Dry eyes
- Inadequate blood circulation, especially in the legs and feet
- Poor posture, resulting in back and neck pain
- Carpal tunnel in the wrist
- Tendonitis in the elbow or forearm
- Finger and hand pain
Some people may also feel tired from sitting too long at a computer. Inactivity can have a multitude of effects on a person. Walking to work and taking breaks during the day can reduce the symptoms of a sedentary job.
How to Add Walking to Your Day
You can easily incorporate walking into your daily life. Wake up a bit earlier than normal to make time for this important habit.
You’ll have to plan your departure time to allow for walking to work. It’s a good idea to add an extra ten minutes to your anticipated arrival time in case you don’t walk at the pace you expected or need to stop for any reason (i.e., your shoe comes untied, etc.).
Be sure to bring a bottle of water to drink on your walk, so you’ll stay hydrated and refreshed. If it’s extremely hot, you may want to pack extra water if needed.
After walking for a few weeks, this practice will become a habit. It won’t seem much like exercise after making it a regular part of your day.
Work at a Place That Promotes Health
Seguros Confie promotes healthy habits and practices. Their emphasis on a healthy work-life balance will help you reach your goals for a fit and healthy life. You can find out what jobs are available easily or simply reach out and contact us.