Take a Walk with Michael Moore

Today is National Walking Day sponsored by the American Heart Association. According to Statistics Canada, 48 percent of Canadians aged 12 or older are “inactive” in their leisure time, meaning we walk less than half an hour a day.  Today’s a good day to lace up the running shoes and head outdoors for a walk—no matter where you live.

Virtual walking movement
More people are walking than ever before thanks to an unlikely source of inspiration: documentary filmmaker, writer, and political commentator Michael Moore. Using Twitter, Moore (@MMFlint) invites followers to join him on a daily walk. And the response has been global!

Moore’s followers from the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, and even Afghanistan have joined him for a walk each day. Moore invites his fellow walkers to tweet him about what they see while on their walks. He comments on what he’s listening to, what the weather’s like, and often includes a photo of his shoe.

Find your motivation
While Moore has provided the motivation to get many of his fans off the couch and onto the pavement, we all need to find our personal source of motivation. Whether it be improving our health, losing weight, reducing stress, walking the dog, or enjoying nature, research proves that walking is good for our physical and mental health.

Health benefits
Published research shows that walking has numerous health benefits , including

• lowering blood pressure
• reducing the risk of coronary heart disease
• reducing cholesterol levels
• helping to control body weight
• increasing bone density
• reducing the risk of various cancers, including colon and prostate
• increasing flexibility
• boosting mood and well-being

Call up a friend, grab your spouse or kids, leash up the dog, enjoy a solitary walk, or join Michael Moore’s virtual walking movement on Twitter (#miketakesawalk). Find your motivation and go for a walk today!