Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. The Europeans value themselves on having subdued the horse to the uses of man; but I doubt whether we have not lost more than we have gained, by the use of this animal.
No one has occasioned so much the degeneracy of the human body. An Indian goes on foot nearly as far in a day, for a long journey, as an enfeebled white does on his horse: and he will tire the best horses.
There is no habit you will value so much as that of walking far without fatigue.
Get a FREE Copy of "The Essential Federalist Papers
What Jefferson called the greatest commentary on Government ever written, organized by topic!
Get a FREE Copy of "The Essential Federalist Papers
What Jefferson called the greatest commentary on Government ever written, organized by topic!
Jefferson is absolutely correct about walking.
Walking is my favorite exercise, especially in the country.
Jefferson also recommended taking your gun with you on your walks. “I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body, and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion of your walks.” TJ
Maybe it’s good for mental health, but if you want to loose weight, walking is the least effective way to go about it. Yes, it’s better than no exercise at all, but nature designed our bodies to conserve calories while walking. Back in the day, when we were running around chucking spears at Mammoths and Saber Tooth Tigers, that’s how we got around – we walked … and we didn’t eat regular meals, so through the process of natural selection, walking became a very fuel-efficient means of locomotion … and that evolutionary legacy remains with us to this day. Again, it’s better than nothing at all, but for weight loss, running, biking or swimming is the way to go …
Walk and live! It’s very healthy and much less likely to cause injury than jogging, biking or running and more convenient than swimming. It burns about as many calories as running the same distance.
watch out for them new-fangled conveyances Thom, danged horse riders go too fast!
While I doubt that Jefferson was worried about weight loss, the key isn’t what exercise you do it is to maintain an elevated heart rate for an extended period of time usually at between 30-60min. Interestingly though the best way to condition cardiovascular health is with interval training. Personally I think of walking as being the best exercise for the mind and affect.
I am baffled at the people I see who will not hesitate to jump in their vehicles just to go around the corner. And folks wonder why America has obesity issues.