Walking is a good form of exercise that is often prescribed to people suffering from obesity and mental health issues in order to bring clarity to their thoughts and decision-making ability. Walking is a healthy and therapeutic activity and so, here are some facts about walking which would probably entice you to take a few extra steps daily too.
- Walking has been part of the Olympic games for more than 90 years. Racewalking is not a very popular or competitive sport, and the distance for race walking can vary between 1 to 95 miles.
- It would take a person with an average walking rate of three miles per hour some 347 days to walk around the world on foot.
- The United States population has the least number of daily steps of all the developed nations. Australians walk the most, with 9695 steps a day, the Japanese walk 7,168 steps, the Swiss take 6950 steps a day while an average American only walks for 5117 steps in a day on average.
- Walking on two legs is also evolutionary. Man became bi-footed around 6 million years ago. According to scientists, man started walking on two legs so as to better carry food and other goods. It was also a more efficient way of moving.
- In many cultures and religions around the world, people walk on fire as part of a ritual or an act of worship. It is a popular practice in Asian countries, such as China, India, Fiji Islands, and New Zealand. Firewalking is said to bring abundance, rain, and a good harvest. It is also performed to cleanse oneself of sins and impurities.
- It is recommended to take 5000 steps a day for better health, and 10,000 steps in order to lose weight.
- A Big Mac, which has approximately 540 calories, would require a person to walk for an hour and 43 minutes to burn it off.
- The type of walk a person has can also indicate his sexual orientation, especially for men. Gay men often sway their hips as they walk, and people can identify them with their walking style alone.
- Walking is beneficial for both your health and your bills. Is it estimated that if a person walks regularly thrice a week for at least half an hour, he can save $350 in healthcare.
- If you are walking with the intent to lose weight, then taking longer steps at a moderate pace is more effective than short steps. Shorter, faster steps are better when taken to improve heart and lung health.
