Simply said, walking takes you places.

Walking is an easy, fun activity that provides instant benefits. From feeling great and connecting with friends to supporting the environment, there are many rewards to walking. And, by the way, it’s good for your health too.

Here are some of the many benefits:

• Creates opportunities to connect with family and friends
• Helps clear your mind and problem solve
• Allows you to explore and enjoy your surroundings
• It’s relaxing
• Relieves stress and tension
• Increases productivity
• Helps maintain a healthy weight and positive body image
• Helps you feel good about yourself
• Improves energy and ability to enjoy life
• Provides major health benefits, even in people who remain overweight (lower rates of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases and longer lives)
• Helps manage heart disease and stroke as well as many other chronic diseases and health problems

Did you know?

• More than half the body’s muscles are designed for walking; it is natural movement that is virtually injury-free.
• Physical activity helps prevent certain chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type II diabetes, certain cancers, and others.
• Walking is an environmentally sustainable form of transportation. Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing communities, our nation and the international community. Walking is one easy way to replace a car trip and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• According to Environment Canada, 27% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, the daily use of cars and trucks make up 12% of our total.
• Only about 12% of Canadians’ home-based trips (such as trips to the grocery store, work or school) are made on foot or bicycle, compared with 46% in the Netherlands and 41% in Denmark. 1
• Research has shown that the risk of obesity goes up 6% for every hour spent in a car each day, while the risk of obesity goes down by almost 5% for every kilometer walked each day. 2