Looking for a fitness plan? Start with walking

Have you ever drove by someone or a group of people who were taking a walk? Did you sarcastically ask yourself if that was their workout routine and thought it was pointless? Or maybe know someone who doesn’t believe walking is an “real” workout? The tables are changing with so much research confirming that walking has many health benefits, both physical and mental. What better way to start a fitness program than with a nice walk.

According to the Harvard Health Publishing “walking improves cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress.” And if these reasons are not enough to get you moving, consider that walking and other moderate exercise programs also help protect against dementia, peripheral artery disease, obesity, diabetes, depression and colon cancer.

Let’s take a look at some “walking fun facts.” According to Gaiamlife, “a 2000 study reported that walking regularly (three times or more a week for half an hour or more) saves $330 a year in health care costs.” Also, “women who walked at least 1.5 hours per week had significantly better cognitive function than women who walked less than 40 minutes a week.” WalkingInfo affirms that “less than 50 percent of American adults exercise enough to gain significant health or benefits. Inactivity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., second only to tobacco use.”

And the list could go on and on.

Some trainers estimate it takes six to eight weeks to establish a walking habit. Bottom line, it just depends on the person, their life style, motivation, etc. There must be a reason that triggers the desire to get on a more active lifestyle, not because everyone else is doing it, but because it is good for the body and can benefit people in so many ways!

The Run for the Americas wants to help people start on their walking journey with their First Annual Rattler 5k Color Walk/ Run.

It is up to you how you want to follow the course while you get color thrown on you and are encouraged to bring your loved ones and little ones — even on a stroller — to walk, run, or skip through the course to get you motivated and start on your new health journey.

The Rattler 5k will be a non-competitive race that will follow the other running events also taking place as part of an outstanding “Wellness Event” that will have a little bit of everything for everyone on different levels of their fitness lifestyle.

For more info or to register visit www.runfortheamericas.com.