Celebrate World Environmental Day With These Easy Steps

World Environmental Day is coming up, giving you a chance to do your bit to help improve the wellness and wellbeing of the planet.

 

Often, people are very unaware of how the environment impacts on them. Think about a shopping mall, for example; you can wander around for hours at your leisure, the air conditioning keeps you as cool as a spring breeze, the walking is all good exercise, and looking at nice things helps to reduce your stress, right? Actually, this is not strictly true.

 

A few years ago, a charity called Mind, which is the leading UK metal health charity, did a study with the University of Essex, looking at how the environment can improve the mental health. This was called ‘Eco therapy’ and involved using green spaces to hep benefit people’s mental health through activities such as walking or gardening. It also looked at the effect on people of simply spending time outdoors, watching nature, seeing the setting sun or simply sitting in the garden and enjoying the fresh air.

 

The study revealed that we have a lot to thank the environment for, as when outdoor walks were compared directly to indoor walks, those who had taken the outdoor walks said that the walk had boosted their self-esteem, whereas those who took indoor walks did not feel the same.

 

For the sake of the study, the group was also split into two, and some took part in an indoor activity and some in an outdoor activity. Those who took part in the outdoor activity said that it had lessened their fatigue, and helped to improve their depression and tension. When the indoor group was surveyed, it was found that most participants had felt no change in mood or had even felt an increase in their depressive symptoms by the end of the walk, and many said that their feelings of tension had increased, too.

Categories: day, environment, environmental day, Indoor, indoor walks, Mental Health, Outdoor, outdoor activity, outdoor walks, walks, world, world environmental

How to Walk Your Way to Better Health, Fitness and Weight

Whether you want to lose weight, become more active or just be a bit healthier, there’s a free and easy way to do it; walking. Walking is underrated as a form of exercise, as you can do it no matter your age, fitness level, or time or money availability. Plus, when you walk on a regular basis you reduce your risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers. The key is to stay motivated, and we’ve got four top tips to help you do exactly that.

 

1. Make it a habit: As with anything in life, the easiest way to do something is if it’s a habit. How often do you get in from work and slump in front of the TV without even thinking about it? You probably complete your entire morning routine on autopilot, as you haven’t really even woken up yet! In the same way, you should think of ways to include walking into your daily routine. This may mean walking part of your commute to the office, walking to the shops, using the stairs instead of the lift, leaving the car at home for short journeys or parking further away from your destination. You can also get your loved ones in on the action by encouraging your kids to walk to school and going with them, going for a family stroll after dinner, or catching up with a friend over a walk instead of going for a coffee.

 

2. Mix it up: Adding variety to your walks can help to keep things interesting, which is really the only way to improve your fitness levels on a long-term basis. Although everyone loves a good country walk, you don’t have to travel over fields and valleys to find a walk that sparks your interest. Towns and cities offer very rewarding walks, be they through parks, heritage trails, canal towpaths, riverside paths, commons, woodlands, heaths and nature reserves. Walk England can give you ideas for inspiring walks, while wheelchair users and parents with buggies might benefit from a look at the Walks with wheelchairs website. This means anyone can find a route to suit, so there’s no excuse for not giving it a go!

 

3. Join a walking group: Although you may be serious about taking care of your wellbeing, life can get in the way if you try it on your own. You can struggle to stay motivated, or even get started if you don’t know how, so it’s advisable to get a little help. Walking in a group is a great way to get started and make new friends, as well as motivate yourself to go the extra mile – sometimes literally! You can search for organised walks near you, using resources like the Walking for Health’s Walk Finder, which are aimed at people who want to become more active, but at present do little or no exercise. If you’re inactive or your wellness is affected by certain conditions, The Ramblers’ Get Walking Keep Walking website organises city walks for people like you, so there’s something for everyone.

 

4. Set yourself a goal: If you have a bit of a competitive streak in you, set yourself walking challenges to give you a reason to stick with it. Try to walk 1,000 steps in around 10 minutes, or walk 10,000 steps on five days a week. Pedometers are a fun way to keep track of your walking, as these can help you to work out your average daily steps and then start adding those extra steps. You’ll be fighting fit in no time.

Categories: Goals, Habit, nbsp, stay motivated, walk, Walking, Walking Group, walks