It was pretty shocking to read in the news this week that more than 6.3 million adults aged 40 to 60 failed to achieve just 10 minutes of continuous brisk walking (wait for it) per month!!!! Data compiled by Public Health England.
The report goes on to say “This is of concern as physical inactivity directly contributes to one in six deaths in the UK”. Um….yes! Can you imagine only doing 10 minutes of walking per day, let alone per month!
I am a big fan of walking! It’s a great way to accumulate exercise and keep your daily level of activity up which in turn accounts for a fair amount of calories burnt.
I do believe if you’re looking for long term weight loss and a strong, fit body then lifting weights is where it’s at, since lean tissue increases your metabolism and you’ll burn fat like a ‘heat seeking missile’, even at rest. But for that in between calorie burn walking is great. Think of our ancestors, they would have walked pretty much all day long, looking for food and water.
When I returned to London a couple of years ago, I started walking everywhere and within two months I had lost 2kgs. It’s surprising just how quickly you can build up to the recommended 10 000 steps per day. Most phones have the health app which will help you track your steps.
So do yourself a massive favour, de-friend your sofa and get out and walk as if you’ve got someplace to go!
Created with
