EB Health & Leisure
Step up the walking this May
May is National Walking Month and from 13th – 19th May, it is Mental Health Awareness Week with a theme of Movement: Moving more for our mental health.
What a perfect time for us to share the benefits this free activity can have, 10 top tips to get those steps in and free walks available locally to you.
We would love to hear how you get your steps in, why not share them with us on Facebook or Instagram? Tag us in your posts or comment on our posts about National Walking Month.
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How nice is it to have the lighter mornings and evenings back, let’s hope the weather in May is a bit better than April……
The NHS shares “Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. You do not have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise, as recommended in the physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.”
The NHS shares about using the Active 10 app “Active 10 allows you to track how much and how fast you have walked. To keep things interesting, it gives you goals to work towards and rewards your progress.” Find out more about the app here.
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Walking is a great way to look after your mental and physical wellbeing and can be carried out in so many ways, whether you like to:
- Meet up with friends and family to catch up and go for a walk
- Switch off after a busy day, popping on your music or a podcast and having some me time
- Maybe you leave the music altogether and focus on the spring sounds of birds singing
- Or maybe you are an early bird yourself and start the day with a lovely morning walk to set you up for the day ahead
Walking can be a great way of meeting new people and socialising, later in this blog we will be sharing information on our free Ramblers Wellbeing Walks available across Cheshire East, it would be great to see you at the walks, why not come and join us?
Top tips to get those steps in
Not everyone has the time to head out on a walk and there may be other factors like the lovely April weather we had…. Anyone else have rain, sun, hail all in the same day?
With us celebrating our 10th birthday as a health and leisure charity, here’s 10 top tips to get those steps in:
1.Tying in the two together- Seeing friends and family but want to get those steps in? Why not combine the two and head out together for a walk.
2. Parking the car further away- Heading to work, the shops or dropping the kids off at school? Why not swap the drive to walking or maybe park further away to get those extra steps in.
3. Looking for things to do with the kids? Why not all go out for a walk, keep the kids busy, whilst increasing your activity levels and getting the benefits of being outdoors. Spotting nature on your walk is always fun for the whole family, what birds can you spot? How many squirrels can you see? How many different types of spring flowers are in bloom?
4. Moving away from your desk- Taking a break from your screen is so important, why not get out in the sun and get some fresh air? This is a great way to reset after the morning, going into the afternoon feeling refreshed, making you feel better and you’re increasing your activity levels. If you are office based or work from home, it can be easy to sit for long periods of time, so even just moving away from your desk is so important.
5. Keeping active at the leisure centre– Classes, sport sessions and walking on the treadmill all count towards getting those steps in, I wonder how many you could do whilst talking part in a dance class or running around the sports hall playing badminton?
6. Walk the long way around- Is there an easy/ direct route to somewhere? Why not take the longer route to get those extra steps in?
7. Walking meetings– If it can be done on the move why not take your meeting outdoors, walk and talk.
8. Take the stairs- A great way to get those extra steps in over taking the elevator
9. Set a daily goal– A great way to keep you motivated and why not treat yourself to something you love to celebrate your amazing achievements. Any steps are a great start, the recommended daily steps for adults is 10,000, however, the importance is to do what you can and build slowly.
Gavin McKeith our Health Referral Lead shares
“Research has shown that people who spend a lot of time sedentary have an increased risk of developing health conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes for example. A great way of reducing sedentary behaviour is through increasing your step count and a great way to help with this is through joining our free Ramblers Wellbeing Walks!
10. Join the Ramblers Wellbeing Walks with Everybody Health and Leisure- Find out more below.
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Free Ramblers Wellbeing Walks available locally with Everybody Health and Leisure
Our passionate volunteers provide weekly short walks in the town centres and rural areas to help local residents get out, increase activity levels and socialise in a safe environment. These walks are accessible to all, particularly people who are looking to increase their activity levels and new to exercise.
Why not come and join us?
Our walks take place in Crewe, Nantwich and Poynton, you can find out more here: Ramblers Wellbeing Walks • Everybody Health and Leisure
We would love to hear your top tips to get your steps in, why not share them with us on Facebook or Instagram? Tag us in your posts or comment on our posts about National Walking Month.