Why Walking Is One Of The Best Things You Can Do For Your Health

Many people think of exercising as heading to the gym and running a couple miles on the treadmill or lifting weights, but research has shown that walking is a completely acceptable form of exercise. A brisk walk every day has been shown to have a multitude of health benefits just like running, while still being doable for most people regardless of what shape you are currently in.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults get about 30 minutes of exercise per day and that 150 minutes a week should be dedicated to moderate activity, with the remaining time spent engaging in vigorous activity. Power-walking just fast enough to get your heart rate up and make you slightly out of breath is considered a healthy way to get in your 30 minutes of moderate exercise.

Try Our Open Toe Walking Shoes

Before we get to how walking can benefit you, just remember: if you’ve been avoiding walking because you can’t find the right shoes, try the open toe walking shoes from OpeToz. These toeless tennis shoes give you all the support you need while still allowing your toes to be free.

Why Walk?

• Walking is low-impact, meaning it is not putting undue strain or pressure on the joints. 
• There is a very low risk of injury when walking, especially compared to jogging or other exercises. Just watch out for potholes or uneven sidewalks. 
• Walking can help maintain a healthy weight, and being at a healthy weight has many health benefits in and of itself, including a lower risk of developing breast cancer and other diseases. 
• The American Heart Association has performed research that shows a brisk walk several times a week can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes just as much as running can. It can also help you manage these diseases if you already have them. 
• Once you reach about 55 years of age, jogging can actually do more harm than good, making walking the perfect alternative. 
• Walking improves circulation and helps to drain the lower legs of excess fluid, helping to prevent varicose veins.
• Walking, like many other exercises, has been shown to be a major mood-booster. If you’ve been feeling down lately, try heading outside for a walk in the crisp, cool air. Put on some headphones and listen to your favorite music or audiobook, or simply use the time to be present and reflect. 
• You don’t need any special skills or equipment to walk. Just get a supportive pair of tennis shoes and hit the sidewalks. If you are just starting, make a commitment to walking to the end of the block and back every day, then slowly increase your distance and duration. 
• It exercises your feet. This may sound odd, but our feet have dozens of muscles that go unused for most of the day when we’re at work or sitting on the couch. Just like any other muscle, you need to exercise the muscles in your feet or else they can become weak and stressed. 

How To Get Started Walking

We would love to say, “Just get up and go!” but we know many people have tried that before and had to stop because of pain in their feet. At OpeToz, we want to make it possible for everybody to stay healthy and active, even if they have painful foot conditions. In fact, our founder started this toeless tennis shoe company after having surgery on both feet when sandals and tennis shoes just weren’t cutting it. If you think open toe walking shoes will help you on your journey, then be sure to head over to our collection!