How regular walking positively changes lives
The benefits of walking are well documented.A number of studies have showed that walking regularly is one of the most effective ways to a healthy life because, experts say, unlike most other exercises,walking works on all the muscles and organs of the body.
But as it turns out, reading research data and hearing real-life testimonies are two different things. Testimonies from Ugandans that walk regularly have revealed that walking is more than exercise. It is meditation, it is massage, it is an aphrodisiac, it is a path to weight loss and it heals not just the body but the soul too. We talked to five walking enthusiasts across the country and now we bring you the amazing stories of transformation, healing and fulfillment.
They also offer advice on how to do it right in order to get the best out of it.
Joseph Beyanga aka Joe Walker is a corporate executive with Nation Media Group. He rose to fame in 2022 when he walked to Bushenyi District and last year to Mbale City in eastern Uganda in a bid to raise awareness about road safety. Since then, he has brought together walking enthusiasts who share a mutual love for walking. This year, he plans to walk to Fort Portal, starting February 26.
He narrates his walking journey: I started walking in September 2021 after being told by a doctor to do so. I was battling some sort of inflammation which was causing pain in my back. He told me I needed to get rid of accumulated sweat which he believed was causing the inflammation. I started walking to gid rid of the pain in my back, but now I am walk to get rid of the pain on our roads.
Frequency
I walk minimum, three to four times a week, for a minimum of two to three hours. On average, I walk at least 15kms. On how I make time for it, there is a lot of time in the 24 hours that make a day. It is all about priorities.
A philosophical take
Walking is perseverance. Walking is resilience. Walking does not happen in your feet; walking happens in your mind. Walking is not a physical exercise, it is a mental exercise. You know your body does not just do what your mind wants. If you say I cannot, then you will not. But if you say the impossible is nothing, it will become so. Walking teaches you the power of incremental actions in achieving big things.
Mental fortitude – Walking enabled me to regain control over my mind. Right now, if I say I am going to do something, I will do it because I have discovered that it is not the body but rather the mind. I have been able to do so many things that I never knew I could.
Things I thought were impossible are now so easy. To date, I have clocked 5,138 kilometres in two years and four months. In my mind, this was impossible before.
My mind has become sharper. I find it easier to find solutions. You are more open to possibilities. Courage – Walking has helped me see clearly that every difficulty can be overcome one step at a time. So, walking has helped me build the courage to take the first step. I never knew I could spend 30 minutes in a tab of ice. But I did it. Breaking mental barriers – Walking has helped me break mental barriers. We grow up thinking I cannot do this or that. Only that other person can do it. That thinking builds mental barriers that we are not even aware of. But because of walking, I have pushed the limits and broken the barriers I thought were impossible. Now, whatever is thrown at me, I am not afraid.
Deeper sleep – I sleep for less hours but get deep sleep. Because of this, I am able to go to work early and leave early so that I have plenty of time to walk. Before, I would sleep for eight hours but now even six hours are too much; and I never doze. But if I chose to sleep during this interview, I can. I am just in superb control of my body.
Better sex – Sex is better because I feel every nerve in my body. Sex is a game of nerves and exercise has helped me sharpen my nervous system. Stress relief – Walking takes away stress. It is what it is. Read more
