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Writer's pictureBen Elliott

Blog #25 - Hot Steppin'

Welcome to Day 25 of the Wellbeing 9-a-Day blog! Over the past few days, we’ve considered the three habits contained within Your Journey. Over the coming days, we will look at the habits that make up Your Fitness. In today’s blog, I focus on Exercising and how walking each day can improve your wellbeing.



Walk and Talk


Exercising your body is essential for people wanting to improve their overall health and wellbeing.


According to NHS’ physical activity guidelines, adults between the ages of 19 to 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week. They recommend adults do some sort of appropriate physical activity every day and break up long periods of not moving with some activity.


So far, my exercising goal with the W9AD Journal has been to walk 5,000 steps each day.

Walking is a great way to ease your way into exercising, lose weight, build stamina, and make your heart healthier.

The good news is that walking briskly counts towards your 150-minute exercise target, which means that an average of 22 minutes of walking every day is enough to hit your weekly goal. While the speed of people’s walking varies depending on fitness, you can tell if you’re walking briskly if you can talk but can’t sing the words of a song.


My daily goal of walking at least 5,000 steps has helped me build the habit. Some days, I get my steps in without needing to think about it, but the daily goal reminds me to get some hot steps in each day. Whether I am walking mindfully or listening to an audiobook, the reminder to walk each day has really helped me to build my stamina and improve my overall health and wellbeing.



Keeping Motivation


Motivating yourself to go for a walk every day can be a challenge, especially during winter. When the rain is pouring and the wind is blowing, it can be difficult to take yourself from the comfort of your home and expose yourself to the elements.


“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”

I am fortunate in that I have a lovely nature walk within a few minutes of my home. Whether in the middle of the day or after finishing my day of work, I can hot step around the corner and enjoy a walk that borders a nature reserve and offers the chance of seeing a family of deer that live in the area.


While I am spoiled with my go-to walk, it is important to mix up your destinations for a bit of variety. North Tyneside is full of brilliant walks, with St Mary’s Lighthouse, Tynemouth, and Holywell Dene three of my favourites. There are also dozens of walks I would recommend in Northumberland, including Bamburgh, Breamish Valley, and Allan Banks and Stoward Gorge.


However, you do not need to take a long drive to get those hot steps in. Enjoying a nice tootle around the streets, either alone or with a friend, is a great way to hit your exercise goal for the day.



Call to Action!


Get those hot steps in! Whether you take a brisk walk around the neighbourhood and enjoy a nice long walk in nature, take the opportunity to exercise your body. To tick off two of your W9AD, arrange a walk with a friend or family member. Even better, come along to Live Well with Cancer’s next Walk and Talk session. We’d love to see you there!


 


This blog was written as part of a 90-day blog writing fundraiser for Live Well with Cancer, a volunteer-led charity serving North Tyneside and the surrounding areas. If you enjoyed this blog, please show your appreciation by donating to my JustGiving page. Every penny raised from donations or sales of the journal will help deliver workshops, events and support groups that empower better health and wellbeing for those affected by cancer, including family, friends, carers, and healthcare workers.

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