Im an Exercise PhysiologistHeres Why You Shouldnt Worry About Cortisol Spikes When You Do HIIT Workouts.

Elliptical vs Treadmill: Which Cardio Machine Is Right For You?

Does Rowing Count as Strength Training?

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shuffleboard, hence why its such a hit in retirement communities

b.)

running, because it really gets the heart pumping

c.) walking

Did you answer c.?

It turns out that you dont have to go hard to do the most good for your body.

woman sweating in the gym

Blue Zones expert and author ofThe Blue Zones Secrets for Longer Living

Never heard of Blue Zones?

The term describes specific regions in the worldwhere people regularly live into the triple digits in good health.

When it comes to cognitive sharpness, the number onebest activityyou can do is walk, Buettner says.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Heres a breakdown of the many reasons why walking is one of the best exercises for brain health.

Why walking is so good for your brain

1.

Does Dancing Count as Cardio?

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

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In the Blue Zones regions, walking is part of daily life.

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

Blue Zones expert and author ofThe Blue Zones Secrets for Longer Living

And that idea ischanging the way more people think about physical activityhere in the States.

Not only is being connected to loved ones linked to longevity, its also good for the brain.

Think of that mental effort as a workout for your brain.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Walking is linked to better mental health

You know what isnt good for the brain?

Stress.Chronic stresscan lead to atrophy of the brain mass and decrease its weight.

In other words, chronic stress can literally shrink the brain in size.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Heres the good news:Just 10 minutes of walking a dayhas been linked to effectively reducing stress.

Given the link betweenchronic stress and Alzheimers disease, those 10 short minutes a day truly are valuable.

This is equivalent, the study authors argued, to approximately 1.4 to 2.2 years less brain aging.

Not too shabby, eh?

Time to lace up your shoes and talk a walk!

A hard workout versus an easy one.

A sweat-soaked shirt versus one you’ve got the option to wear to dinner later.

What Blue Zones are showing us is that simply isnt true.

Intense workouts absolutely have benefits, but walking does, too.

After all, the tortoise did beat the hare in the end.

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