AARP cites walking 50 miles per month as a great way to walk off weight!  “One New Year’s Resolution could improve your life in many ways!”  “I will walk 50 miles every month.”  Just half an hour of walking each day at a brisk pace of 3.5 mph will get you there.  Here are seven things you can accomplish within a matter of months:

The January – February AARP Bulletin (by Betsy Towner) lists the following benefits of walking 50 miles per month:

1. Get Fit
   Aerobic Capacity:  19% increase
   Physical Function:  25% increase
   Risk of Disability:  41% decrease
2. Save on Annual Medication Bills
   Normal-Weight Retiree:  $3,300.
   Overweight Retiree:  $2,500.
   Entire Country:  $1.4 Trillion
3. Improve Cardiovascular Health
   Heart Disease:  32% Lower Risk
   Stroke:  33% Lower Risk
   Type 2 Diabetes:  71% Lower Risk
4. Fight Cancer
   Breast Cancer:  18% Lower Risk
   Colon Cancer:  31% Lower Risk
   All Forms of Cancer:  33% Higher Survival Rate
5. Lose Weight: 
   Each Walk:  150 Calories
   Monthly:  1.3 Pounds
   Annually:  15.6 Pounds
6. Accelerate Recovery
   Depression:  47% Reduction in Symptoms
   Skin Wounds:  Shorten Healing by 10 Days
7. Battle Degenerative Disease
   Alzheimers:  40% Lower Risk
   Osteoporosis:  0% Loss of Bone Density

What benefits of walking are most important to you?  We’re all familiar with the benefit of walking to walk off weight – did you know that walking also reduces your liklihood of contracting cancer, becoming diabetic, reduces your bone density loss, and improves your mood?  So enjoy your walk, walk off weight, and smile all the way!

What is your favorite benefit of walking?  Do you walk each day?  Do you walk to reduce cancer?  Do you walk to reduce depression?  Will you set a goal to walk 50 miles a month?  Please join the conversation – leave a comment!