Happy & Healthy
7X WHY YOU SHOULD WALK MORE OFTEN
(yes, w-a-l-k yes)
It sounds elderly, I know that for sure. And it’s all the fault of the step counter, but suddenly I’m really ‘on the walk’. Forget about biking to the cinema in the center, we’re taking the walking route. Walking, or okay, let’s call it ‘strolling’ (that sounds a bit less Omroep Max), is good for people. It’s the main reason why those New Yorkers are so fit. Do it too, and here’s why.
1. Slim down
Walking, and let’s make it a bit uptempo, okay? Strolling is for Sundays, is often prescribed as a model workout. Least chance of injuries, just as effective as a run, and you can keep it up longer. Moreover, your hair stays in place, ha.
2. You see more
You might think that biking gives you a better view of the city, but when you walk, you really see the gems lying around. You literally get more eye for detail.
3. It’s healthy
For your lungs (unless you’re walking in the heart of Rome , that is. There, a day ‘in the fresh air’ equals smoking a pack of cigarettes, by the way) and for the environment.
4. No hassle
I also love biking (although biking in Amsterdam is a different story), but locking it up with big chain locks is always such a hassle for me. And then arriving at an appointment with black fingers and a rubber band around your pant leg. One of those two last-mentioned things has of course never happened. You can guess which one.
5. Shopping is so nice
When you’re on a bike and you see something you like, you first have to find a free tree, complete the locking-up ritual, and then you can finally go inside. Walking, you just go right in, hop.
6. You are independent
No dealing with flat tires, no waiting for a bus that never comes, or getting annoyed by a smelly taxi driver, just keep walking and you’re there. You might want to consider bringing an umbrella though. You never know here.
7. Reward
At the end of the day, you’ve just had a workout. In New York, I walked twelve kilometers in a day, but on Saturday in my own hometown, I suddenly had eight kilometers under my belt too. And then waking up with slight muscle pain without having lost a drop of sweat, that’s wonderful.
