This is not going to be an article about walking, I promise. I started this article with a clear intention to write only about the benefits of walking. While reading for tips and tricks I came across so many nice and important articles full of suggestions for a healthier life. That is why I decided to write one article for us, the people here in Breda, the students… the BUAS community. It may sound boring at first and trust me this is not the most interesting article in terms of gossip or something entertaining. But it is an honest opinion of how easily you can imply “healthy stuff” in your everyday life.

The benefits of walking and a bit of motivation

Walking is something that most of us are gifted to do every day and sometimes we do not appreciate it. I have two problems in my life. The first one is that I eat an enormous amount of bread. And I love it. The second one is that I cannot stand facing the consequences of the first one. I manage to catch myself always, trying to find a way to reduce my portions of food or to exercise more. But it never happens. Why? Because I’m hella busy. However, after reading so much literature I was still not motivated to go on a walk just like that, for the sake of my own health. I kept on reading and then I had the feeling like somebody is telling me “Paola you know that smoking is not healthy for you, right?” And then me smoking two more cigarettes in a row because huh? Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? This is how reading about running and walking felt for me, while going down in my bed, feeling warm, and thinking “ooh that pillow smells like heaven” …BOOM! The result: Paola is a lazy ass student with a belly. In the next days “walk more”, “be healthy” kept popping up in my head, and I really had the desire to workout. That made me think and I came up with my own solution known as weight-bearing exercise. Trying to involve more walking in every activity throughout the day. Nobody is asking you or expecting you to have a busier schedule or to study /work less so you can have a healthier, longer life. I believe that you can manage walking more by making minor changes like:

1. Going off the bus one stop earlier. Especially if you are always earlier for a lecture or a class and you wait while scrolling on your social media, it might be better if you use this time in a healthier way.

2. Park farther away from your office than usual and walk to and from your car. It will save you some gas (less air pollution).

3. Squeeze in a walk with a colleague at lunch. Depending on how long your lunch break is, instead of spending the whole time sitting down, improve your spinal health by taking a walk.

4. Leave the bike, walk instead. We all know it is faster when you are on a bike but imagine how many (more) songs you will listen to if you go on foot.

The benefits of walking and other healthy stuff

Needless to say: walking is good for you to maintain your overall health. Unlike many other exercises walking is free, and you do not need to buy any equipment for it. That is why I started liking it, every free thing is welcomed in my cheap student life! However, sport is health we all know that but what motivated me, might not motivate you so these are some positive outcomes from walking:

1. Shore up your bones and improve your balance.

2. Enjoy a longer Life.

3. Lighten your mood- after a (cat) walk you feel much more useful, right? Walking can help your mental health. Studies show it can help reduce a negative mood.

4. Lose weight – this one we discussed earlier, but it really helps you since it is a sort of a workout. It is not a secret that physical activity built into a daily lifestyle plan is one of the most effective ways to assist with weight loss.

5. Strengthen your muscles – your leg muscles!

6. Improve your sleep- of course after getting super tired after carrying your laptop and this brain of yours.

And lastly, drink water guys it is important to keep hydrated on busy days or don’t in the Netherlands it rains enough. Anyway, we all have different bodies and lives that is why I wrote a few things that can apply to everyone. You don’t have to start big, start small instead as people say: “Step by step”.