This may not surprise you but if you typically walk slowly and “lollygag” it will likely cut years off your life. Lollygag is one of my favorite words, I hate to get behind them when trying to make a flight and making your way through the airport. A 14 year study by the University of Pittsburgh concluded that senior citizens who are the fastest walkers live longer than those with slower paces. STUDY
Looking at the lives of slow and fast walkers who were 75 years old, only 19 percent of the slowest men and 35 percent of the slowest women lived another 10 years. Wow – did you catch that – only 19% lived another 10 years. That is a compelling argument to pick up the pace a little. When you are walking for exercise does your heart rate get elevated? How high? Are you checking it? Are you getting a sweat? Are you walking to get exercise consistently? It will increase your energy and cut your stress level.
However, 87 and 91 percent of the fastest walkers were still going after 10 years. I have always been a fast walker. I guess it helps to be tall and have long legs. How about you? Are you a lollygagger? Don’t be that person.
I would stop doing that right now. Walk with purpose. Remember the quality of your life later will be a function of the quality of your movement. It is not how LONG you live but what QUALITY of life you eventually have.
Why live a long live if you can hardly move and can not enjoy it! Take an honest assessment of your movement right now. Do not be one of the people who take “slow” walks and fool themselves into thinking they are getting quality exercise. It is better than nothing I agree AND you can do better than that…can’t you?