Lifestyle change, Wellbeing

How To Turn Your Love For Walking Into A Cardio Walkout.

A reflection on improving health and wellbeing as a beginner walker.

Photo by Dmitry Schemelev on Unsplash

“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.”- G.M. Trevelyan.

I love walking! It does not matter whether it is in nature or cityscapes. Walking helps me to relax and unclog my mind while getting some valuable exercise in.

Inherently I seem to be a bit lazy and preferred flat ground when walking. I strolled around casually in nature absorbing the stunning, calming, and soothing scenery. I gave steep hills a miss opting for gentler slopes instead.

Consistent daily walking helped me to become more fit and shed a couple of pounds in the process after doing nearly no exercise for a couple of years.

My friends and colleagues noticed the change in my physical appearance and commented on the weight loss. Now that's what I call extrinsic motivation as it flattered me tremendously.

The kind compliments motivated me to reflect on how I could turn my love for walking into a cardiovascular walkout, pardon the pun.

Photo by Intenza Fitness on Unsplash

Cardiovascular exercise also referred to as aerobic exercise is any vigorous activity that increases heart rate and respiration. The energetic exercise will raise your heart and breathing rate as your body responds to the need for more energy. Your body’s cells will supply the energy derived from food (glucose) needed to continue your exercise through a process called cellular respiration.

As a science teacher, I am aware of the benefits of cardiovascular exercise. It helps to build endurance, strengthen the cardiovascular system, and aids weight loss keeping the amount of food one consumes in mind.