National Walking Month is upon us and the LAL teams are gearing up for a week long walking challenge designed to push the fitbits into overdrive!

Did you know that May is National Walking Month?  The idea was launched by the British Heart Foundation in a bid to raise awareness of the easiest, cheapest and most flexible exercise of them all – walking!  Thanks to the huge growth in fitbits, activity monitoring phone apps and other wearable tech, we’re all more focused on hitting our daily targets and seeing that huge Thumbs Up appear on the screen.

Walking is SO good for you and as your local sports and fitness trust, its LAL’s business to support all exercise and activities, not just the stuff that takes place in their gyms, pools and sports halls.  Gentle, low impact and FREE we’ve all been taking part in this fabulous fitness trend since we were knee-high to a weights bench.

Let’s start with the basics:

1. Walking is good for your heart.  No two ways about this, low impact cardio exercise will help lower your bad cholesterol and help increase the good stuff.  It will also help control blood pressure and can reduce your risk of stroke by up to 27%. (Stroke Association)
2. Walking can help you lose weight and tone up.  You can burn up to 75 calories just by walking a mile in 30 minutes.  Up that speed to 3mph and it rises to 99 calories and a 4mph its 150!  It will also give you great definition in your calves, quads and hamstrings while lifting your bum to the max!  Pay attention to your posture while you’re there and you’ll also tone your abs and waist.
3. It lowers the risk of serious disease.  A regular walk can help you reduce the risk of diabetes by 60%, reduce your risk of dementia by assisting in the prevention of brain shrinkage and make you 20 percent less likely to develop cancer of the colon, breast or womb.
4. Walking Will Lift Your Energy!  A brisk walk boosts circulation and increases oxygen to every cell in your body and because you’re outside, you’ll get a big boost of vitamin D which is important for bone health and our immune systems.
5. Walking makes you SMILE! All exercise boosts your mood and there have been loads of studies done that show that a brisk walk can be just as effective as antidepressants in mild cases of depression.  You’ll release lots of gorgeous feel-good endorphins and reduce stress and anxiety.  We LOVE it!

Each year the team at LAL join in with National Walking Month by setting a challenge for teams and individuals – will anyone ever beat Fiona?!  As well as all the great benefits it brings to the people taking part (see above!) it’s also a fantastic way for us to bond with our colleagues out with offices, receptions and venues.  They do love a bit of #TeamSpirit at LAL and because Holly and I are just a wee office of two, we’re joining the marketing team!

If you’re looking for a way to get more exercise into your routine then why not grab a pal and join in? Or, get yourself out to one of the fabulous Stride For Life walks taking place around Perthshire and Kinross.  These are led by LAL trained volunteers and there are currently around a dozen different locations, times and days.   Check it out on the website here>>> 

You’ll also find some fab walking routes to enjoy with your friends at any time!

If you’d like to join in with National Walking Week Here are some simple tips to fit walking into your everyday routine:

• Park and Stride (e.g. leave slightly earlier in the morning and rather than park at the office, park 1 mile away and turn up for work with a clear head feeling ready to go!)
• Organise lunch time team walks
• Walk the dog further
• Hold a walk meeting or walk to meetings

Remember there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong gear and clothing!

GOOD LUCK and LET’S GET WALKING!!!