Coastin Carl
🍃 TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day ORIGIN & HISTORY
The birth of TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day isn’t tied to a specific reason other than the fact that it’s a pretty good concept. The driving force behind this day is to promote outdoor activity and connection with nature. Walking, a universally accessible activity is advocated for its role in incorporating physical exercise into our overall well-being. In the contemporary, technology-driven society, taking a walk outdoors serves as a countermeasure to sedentary habits. It’s celebrated on the 20th Day in January.
TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day commemorates the historical significance of walking in human evolution, contributing to mobility, strength, and aerobic fitness. It plays a crucial role in circulating blood throughout the body, facilitated by the coordinated action of the heart, lungs, and arteries. Celebrating this day is a nod to the positive impact of walking outdoors and a reminder of the benefits it brings, making it a compelling reason to strive to achieve your 10,000-step goal.
The POWER of Getting Outside and Walking
It might seem cliché but the act of doing (putting one foot in front of the other) tells your mind and body to do the same. Walking, with the added benefit of doing it outdoors, is great for your emotional and physical well-being. You’re the one in charge of what you do, how you act, and how you cope. You may even think no one knows what you’re dealing with, what you’re going through, or how you feel, but there always is someone who will.
HISTORY of Walking Outdoors
Walking outdoors for long distances has been a popular thing for a very long time. The Romans were known for walking. Emperor Hadrian around 100 AD walked or rode on horseback during his 21-year reign dressed in full armor just to check on his entire empire and help unify it. He never rode in a chariot or any other vehicle.
During the 1860s to 1903 walking long distances became a competitive sport in Europe and the United States. Walkers at the time were paid handsomely. When it comes to sports, people like to test their limits whether they’re walking for speed or covering some serious distance.
In general, it’s important for people to walk four miles a day; for optimal physical health, six miles is recommended. Walking too much is possible and can put your body at risk for injury by not bouncing back to recover leaving you tired. Anything over 20 miles is considered overdoing it.
🌤️ HOW to Celebrate & Observe TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day?
Not sure how to LOVE the day? We’ve got a few interesting ideas to consider that may help get you started.
Here are some activities that you can do on TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day!
💙 GO for a Walk
Get outside and take a walk! When you walk with a partner, neighbor, or friend it helps you stay motivated and socially connected with that person.
💙 HELP someone else Walk
Help motivate someone that doesn’t exercise regularly to start walking with you even if it’s a simple 10-minute walk.
💙 TRACK your Steps
Buy a pedometer, Fitbit, or Smartwatch and start recording your steps. Set goals and start seeing the results you want.
💙 PUSH someone while You Walk
Push someone in a wheelchair or take out a baby in a stroller. If a family member is physically challenged then take them regularly to go to the pool at a local gym or hotel. Pool walking, especially if you’re older, keeps you safe in case of a fall by saving you from striking the ground with all your weight. Balance is important the older you become. You could also try a chair walking workout video on a portable device while seated outdoors to get the added benefit of Vitamin D.
💙 RAISE Social Awareness
Use social media posts with the hashtags #TakeAWalkOutDoorsDay, #HikingLOVE, #KeepWalking, #NatureWalks, #WalkInNature, #OptOutdoors, #HealthHolidays, #JanuaryHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you ❤️ TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day.
LEARN more about the benefits of kids WALKING OUTSIDE
FIVE Fun Facts you never knew about TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day
- Germany touts starting the oldest walking club in 1864 called the Black Forest Wanderverein.
- The first charity walk in 1970 was held by the March of Dimes in Ohio USA to help improve the health of mothers and their babies.
- Walking on a rugged outdoor surface requires roughly 50% more energy and calories than a smooth paved street or treadmill.
- It takes around 59 minutes to burn off a pizza slice. Most people walk about 3 mph, so you would need to walk around three miles to burn the calories found in one slice of pizza. Think about that when you’re busy celebrating National PIZZA Week. Please observe responsibly.
- In 2004, Polly Letofsky became the first woman to walk around the world a total of 14,000 miles.
Famous PEOPLE also born on January 20th
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Buzz Aldrin
American astronaut, engineer, and fighter pilot. He and Neil Armstong were the first two people to ever land on the moon and even enjoyed a snack while they were there. Quote: “It’s not exactly a grand feast for a couple of guys on the verge of making history, but when you’re in space you have to make do with what you have.” It was sugar cookie cubes, square-shaped bacon, a fruit drink, and coffee. He spent a total of 12 days in outer space and legally changed his name to “Buzz” in 1988. Born 1930.
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Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Member of the British Royal Family. She’s married to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex who is the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. Born 1965.
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Leadbelly
Singer, songwriter, musician best known for having strong vocals and performing blues and funk with a twelve-string guitar. Born 1888.
Future DATES for TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day
| Year | Date | Day of the Week |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | January 20 | Saturday |
| 2025 | January 20 | Monday |
| 2026 | January 20 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | January 20 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | January 20 | Thursday |
Walking Outdoors FAQ
How long do I need to walk?
- You should walk 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week for maximum health benefits.
Any walking tips for seeing physical results in the mirror and on the scale?
- Aim for about 10,000 steps daily. Try interval walking: alternate one minute walking briskly and one minute going as fast as you can for 30 minutes. Add on limber dynamic stretching to warm up and static hold stretching to cool down. You could add squats, lunges, leg curls, and leg lifts before your 30-minute cardio session. That will really BOOST your walking results. You’ll see results in your legs and tummy.
What’s the best time to take a walk?
- Taking a walk after you eat aids digestion. It’s a massage for your digestive organs. It’ll aid your body to utilize calories more efficiently and help eliminate glucose. You still get the benefits of time put in by walking after a meal.
Why we L💜VE TAKE A WALK OUTDOORS Day
There are some serious benefits to well-being attributed to walking. These include bone health (helping those with osteoporosis), heart (pulmonary and cardiovascular), mental health, stress management, diabetes, weight issues, and obesity.
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Numerous Health Gains
In addition, walking is good for boosting your mood, burning off those calories, helping reduce chronic disease; it can help you live longer, boost brain power, and boosts your immune system. The Journal of Experimental Psychology found in 2014 that going for a walk can help spark creativity through learning, memory, and cognition. At the risk of sounding so many good bells & whistles, it’s also good for helping you sleep better too!
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Task Master
Lastly starting a walking plan will help you stick to your tasks with good repetitive exercise. Now you have many reasons to go for a walk outdoors!
