Robert Goes for a Walk (Plus, TEN Reasons Why Walking May Improve Your Health!)

Walking is my favorite form of exercise.

So, as I was driving back to my home in my active adult community, I stopped at the State Arboretum of Georgia to take a walk. I was the only one there on the 330 acres as far as I could tell. It was beautiful.

I wasn’t in a rush, so I took my time admiring the beautiful colors and reading the tree specimen signs. On another day, when I have a little more energy, I’ll return and walk on the trail I noticed. I took some pictures on my walk, so I thought I’d share them with you folks.

Black Tree

Love the contrast. That tree trunk really was that black. The tree was shedding its leaves, as you might be able to tell from all the leaves strewn across the grass. I love this time of year, when autumn is in full force.

Berries

Raindrops on tree berries and whiskers on kittens. Oh, wait. Wrong lyrics. In any case, I’m particularly proud of this picture. Maybe there’s a professional photographer in me, begging to get out. Or maybe nature is so pretty that even novices like me can take great pictures.

Moss and Leaves

Isn’t this striking? Truly, the mossy trunk is such a stark contrast to the bright red leaves. If I were a painter, I’d love to set up an easel here and capture this landscape with a few brushstrokes. Unfortunately, I’m not a painter, but I did get to capture it with another medium!

Tree Elephant

Remember when you were a kid and would lie on your back in the grass and try to find pictures in the clouds? Well, I did something similar with this tree. I see both a tree man and an elephant. Do you see it? Or do you see something else? Or maybe nothing at all?

A Beautiful Nightmare

As beautiful as this is, I’d hate to have to rake all those leaves! My poor back would never recover.

10 Reasons Why Older Adults Should Walk!

My friends, I cannot recommend walking enough. The health benefits are innumerable. Here are TEN reasons why you should slip on your favorite walking shoes and hit your nearest trail.

1. Improves your balance coordination
2. Strengthens your muscles
3. Improves your mood
4. Helps maintain a healthy weight
5. Improves sleep quality
6. Increases endurance
7. Strengthens immune system
8. Strengthens your bones (great perk for those with osteoporosis!)
9. Improves joint health
10. Promotes overall wellbeing

If you’re interested in checking out even more of my walking articles, I recommend reading these next:

• How to Get Started with Race Walking
• 6 Different Walking Styles Popular Among Boomers
• 5 Benefits of Walking Alone
• 5 Health Benefits of Winter Walking
• 3 Tips On Staying Healthy and Moving Well