Walking: The Underrated Exercise We All Should Do More Of

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Do you consider walking ... exercise? If not, think again. Walking, while not as vigorous as other forms of cardio, is just as good for your body--and mind--say experts. Here's why you should feel good about going on a fall walk today ...

I love the concept of Claire Cook's bestselling novel, The Wildwater Walking Club (have you read it? It's a really cute story)--and it's a reminder of the power of a simple walk, both for your mental and physical health.

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In fact, brand new research published in the journal Neurology, found that walking can help your brain in pretty incredible ways. In the study, brain scans of walkers showed greater "brain volume" (that's more smarts, gals) than non-walkers.

I've been doing more walking lately as my pregnant belly gets more enormous by the day, and while I do try to alternate it with jogging, some days walking suits me best. It lets you stop and smell the roses and take in the beauty around you, you know?

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My parents have this awesome tradition of taking walks after dinner--something I try to replicate as often as possible. Yes, while getting your heart rate up is important, exercise isn't all about being fast and furious. Taking it slow now and then is pretty great, too.

Do you get much walking in your days?

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