Joining a walking group can give you many benefits, including increased safety, better motivation to continue, and a means for regular socialization. Group walking makes exercise enjoyable, which can be difficult to replicate on your own.
If you’re one of the 21.4% of people physically inactive and want a new way to get your daily exercise, consider walking with a group to encourage you into renewed action.
At TerraBella Northridge, located in Raleigh, NC, which is home to the North Carolina Museum of Art, we want to help all seniors get enough exercise. To further entice you to start walking again, we put together this guide to show you why group walking is so beneficial that you won’t want to miss out!
What Is a Walking Group?
A walking group is simply a collection of like-minded seniors who walk together to make the entire exercise process more fun. While you could always choose to walk alone inside your senior apartments for daily exercise, it’s likely you won’t enjoy yourself as much.
Think about other activities you’ve done alone, such as a craft. Now think about doing that same craft alongside others. You’ll have the chance to laugh, chat, share stories, and help each other in a time of need.
Benefits of Walking as a Group
Being part of a group is a mutually beneficial arrangement, regardless of the activity. With every walk, you’ll still work toward your health goals, but with even more benefits to sweeten the deal.
Socialization
Social wellness for older adults can be as important as regular physical exercise. With social interaction, you’ll fight off physical and mental health issues such as:
- Loneliness
- Depression
- Stress
- Cognitive decline
- Cardiovascular disease
- Weaker immune system
When you walk with a group, you’re getting all of the benefits from exercise, but with these benefits of socialization, too. Since your walking group is likely to meet regularly, you’ll tackle better wellness from all sides.
Reaching your health goals will be easier than ever before.
Motivation
When it comes to senior fitness, grouping can make all the difference in whether or not you stick with the exercise program. As part of a group, the natural feeling of accountability can help persuade you to put on those walking shoes again.
You don’t want to let the others down, so you’re less likely to skip daily walks. The good news is that the other group members will be happy to see you.
The smiles in response to your appearance can be enough to make the effort worth it.
Encouragement
Even with accountability and a desire to see your friends, continuing with an exercise regimen isn’t always easy. Some days will be more difficult than others. Some days you may not even see the amount of progress you’ve made.
With your group, you’ll be surrounded by others who won’t have that same mental block toward your accomplishments.
They’ll be willing to cheer on your successes and console you when you’re feeling like giving up. You can also feel a boost in self-esteem when you encourage others in return.
The amount of encouragement shared between group members can have a huge positive impact on your mental state. It can also help the group create close bonds that blossom into tight-knit friendships.
Safety
You should always be mindful of any safety concerns when you participate in outdoor activities in Raleigh. While walking is relatively safe, you still need to be cautious of:
- Tripping
- Falling
- Dehydration
- Overheating
- Exhaustion
- Getting lost
Choosing to walk with other people helps reduce these risks. For example, you’ll help each other stay on the right path, and you can remind each other to drink water.
Plus, in case of an emergency, such as overheating during summer, they can get help right away. You’ll get the medical attention you need without delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Better to Walk Alone or Walk Together?
Daily movement for seniors is always better when walking together with a group. There are no disadvantages to walking with others, and you only gain more benefits that wouldn’t be available to you alone.
How to Find Walking Friends?
For some seniors, approaching strangers can cause anxiety that leads to a dismissal of the idea altogether. That’s why many senior living communities, such as TerraBella Northridge, host group exercises.
It helps seniors form friendships during the activity, so they have no trouble continuing with other group activities on their own. It’s active aging in assisted living at its best.
The key to finding walking friends is to take part in community activities so you lessen that initial fear of talking to strangers.
How Long Should I Walk?
A good starting point is to aim for 30 minutes of walking every day. As you increase endurance and strength, slowly start to expand this number to something that suits your health level.
While your goal may be to walk as long as the rest of the group, it’s important to listen to your body. If it’s telling you that it’s time for a break, you should alert your walking group and then take that necessary break.
Others will likely want a break as well, and then you can pair off into smaller groups for the rest of the exercise.
Can I Lose Belly Fat By Walking?
You’ll likely begin to lose body fat through added exercise, especially if done daily. The real trick to losing weight is to pair exercise with a healthy diet that suits your dietary restrictions and needs.
Have Fun With Exercise at TerraBella Northridge
All of the above reasons are why a walking group can be such a vital tool for your journey to better health. To continue making good decisions for your retirement, why not consider joining a local Raleigh senior community that puts activity, health, and safety first?
At TerraBella Northridge, our friendly senior community includes many exercise groups for you to enjoy, including walking. Together with our full activities calendar, community outings, and social gatherings, you’ll have no trouble staying active and having fun every day.
We invite you to schedule a tour with us and come see all the excitement and warmth of our Raleigh community in person!
