There’s more to walking than meets the eye

Walking is an excellent way to stay healthy, live longer, control weight and keep happy, but it also allows us to add to our lives in many other unplanned ways.

So with this in mind, here are the top 5 ‘unexpected benefits’ of walking.

1. You can involve family and have some time just to chat and catch up.
2. You will, at the very least, form ‘a nodding acquaintance’ with a whole lot more of the local community.
3. An appreciation for the local environment and a greater attachment to caring for this part of the world.
4. All the juicy gossip on who’s been doing what and the full story behind what’s been going on down at number 27.
5. Make new discoveries like what’s up for sale, new coffee shops, hidden parks and restaurants you never knew existed.

And of course there are the benefits to health and wellbeing as shown in the fantastic results from GCC 2009 where:

• 81.8% of participants stated they had changed their health and activity habits for the better.
• Participants walked on average 7kms/ 4.34 miles a day
• The average reported weight loss was 4.6kg/10lbs

Simply by walking to work, taking a lunchtime stroll or walking the dog for just 30 minutes every day can make all the difference. It’s never too late to start being active, to get moving now and feel great.

Shane Bilsborough, MSc (Human Nutrition)
GCC Director