Walking For Health

     Walking is a great exercise but none of us probably walk enough.  If I stay around the house my step total is abysmal but on an outing to town I usually get in between 2.5 and 7.5 miles of walking.  Most of us over the age of 50 have seen our weight creeping up a lot faster than we want to admit.  That cut back diet that we used to use to shed a few pounds seems to have stopped working.  Walking has sure helped keep my weight in check.  178 pounds for a 62 year old male is not too shabby.   Keeping the weight in check is all about metabolism.  As our birth years go higher our metabolism numbers get smaller so the "cut back diet and lose weight" theory is flawed from the get go.
     As a 62 year old, the old blood pressure is not what it should be and I am still waiting for the walking routine to help with that problem.  Walking has increased my creative talents especially relating to writing. Not only do I enjoy writing but it's easy to come up with subject matter  where the words seem to flow faster than I can put them to pen and paper.  Maybe all the walking will help starve off dementia and keep me from having to use a straw to suck down oatmeal every morning.
     So far the old knees and hips are still holding up to all the walking.  No signs of osteoarthritis or arthritis yet and hopefully they won't rear their ugly heads.  Depression, everyone gets depressed every once in a while even myself but I've found that getting off my ass and getting moving helps clear those depressive cobwebs away.  Mood always seems to get better after a few steps into a walk.
     You should not need a reason to walk for your health.  Excesses, excesses,excesses  just get off your ass and start walking.  I will give you permission to use any and all of the reasons I've listed if it will get your right foot in front of your left foot.