True, I Walked 3213 KMs

I walked the entire length of India in 18 months+ how walking helped + nice pictures from my walks

Fitbit says I walked the the entire length of India in 2 years! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Alert! Walking gives you the time to stop and take pictures. This post is loaded with my pictures from walking!

One of the new habits I picked up since Covid was walking. Denmark is beautiful and sunny for 16 days a year. Rest of the days are dark, gloomy, windy, rainy, cold (or a combination of these). Still, I walked most days as one could not do anything else during Covid.

I found that I really enjoyed walking and started doing it more and more. Some days I would walk for hours, and other days I would just walk around the block. During the intense lockdowns, I was just walking inside the house, hoping to have clocked 3000 steps — that was my floor limit.

I walked a lot the last 18 months — the entire distance of India — 3213 km. While that sounds like a lot, it is less than 6KM on average daily. Anyone can do it!

Stroll around the neighborhood on a sunny day! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Benefits of walking:

I assume you don’t need to be convinced that walking is good, but I’ll do it anyway!

Low risk, high impact exercise: When you walk, you expend more energy than you consume. Walking also helps to improve your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn at rest. Walking is gentle on your joints. This makes it an ideal form of exercise for people who are overweight or obese.

Welcoming spring, at a local park! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Improves your mental health and mood: Walking is a simple, yet effective way to improve your mental health and mood. Numerous studies have shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress levels, ease anxiety and depression, and boost self-esteem.

Sunset sneaking through those trees! — Ilam Padmanabhan

And there’s no need to go on a hike or walk for hours to reap the benefits — even a short stroll around the block can make a difference. Walking can also help to clear your mind, increase your creativity, and give you a fresh perspective on problems. So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or down, go for a walk — it just might help you feel better.

How can it not give you energy!! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Increases your energy levels: We all know how it feels to be low on energy. We drag ourselves through the day, feeling tired and sluggish. But what if there were a simple way to boost our energy levels? Walking is one of the best ways to do just that. Research shows that a moderate amount of walking can increase your energy levels, helping you to feel more alert and awake.

You can walk too, just take one step at a time! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Improves your sleep quality: Exercise can also positively impact your sleep quality. Research has shown that moderate-intensity activity, such as walking, can help to reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and increase the overall duration of sleep.

A cozy walk in a small Danish town (Ribe) — Ilam Padmanabhan

There are a million other reasons you should walk. If I have not convinced you, it is on me. I’ve added some links that may do a better job!

By the way, I also lost 5.7 kg without going to gym. Walking was a big help!

I Reduced My Weight by 5.7 kg

No Gym/Special diet: How I turned around my health by lifestyle changes and lost weight in the process

medium.com

There are many ways to include walking in your daily life. Here are five creative ways to do so:

Walking meetings: If you work in an office, try conducting walking meetings instead of sitting down for a traditional meeting. Walking meetings are a great way to get some exercise while also getting work done.

If nothing, it’ll help you have shorter meetings!

Canals next to my old office (before Covid)! The place has seen many meetings! — Ilam Padmanabhan

Take the stairs: Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator whenever possible. If you are working from home, take a break every hour to walk up and down the stairs of your building a couple of times.

Park your car farther away: When you’re running errands or going to work, park your car a little farther away than usual. This will force you to walk a bit more. If it is less than 15–20 mins of walking, dump the car home and walk. It’s also good for the environment.

Walk while you do Teams/Zoom meetings: If you’re on the phone for a meeting or catch-up call, walk around while you chat. This is a great way to multitask and get some steps in at the same time. Many of my one-on-one meetings via Teams are walking meetings! I show my colleagues my neighborhood!

Nice way to look at where you live! — Ilam Padmanabhan

There are endless ways to fit walking into your life — you just need to get creative.

I finish this post with one word — Walk!

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Ever fancy becoming a writer? Get rid of all that useless crap from social media, get access to the work of thousands of amazing writers, become an author, and possibly make some money. It costs only $5 a month. Why not give it a go! Use this link! Yes, I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

By the way, I write on a lot of other topics. More about what I write here!

Please follow me / subscribe to emails so you’ll know as soon as my next post is out.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Sources:

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/walking-for-health/