WALKING AND THE BRITISH OBSESSION WITH THE WEATHER…

A few interesting facts about the British obsession with the weather.

Did you know that a survey has shown that the British spend nearly six months just ‘talking’ about the weather. Apparently we are obsessed with the English weather. It’s one of the most common ways to start a conversation, which check-out staff at supermarkets have to listen to time and time again.

We spend almost five times a day talking about it and spend longer discussing it than we do discussing sport or work!!

Women talk about it more than chatting about their men, love lives and gossip and twitter gets around 500,000+ tweets a week about it.

Older people apparently have three times as many conversations about it and still believe in old wives tales, such as , cows sitting down (rain comes) and red sky at night (shepherds delight). Even Twitter gets over 500,000 ‘tweets’ about it.

These findings prove that we are a nation who is totally obsessed with the weather and how we can go from one season to another in one day.

But, no matter what the weather walking or cycling in it, are the two most popular ways at the moment to keep fit. With watches and phones that can count our steps for us some of us become obsessed with trying to get in our daily 10,000 steps. Even health companies have got on board who will reward you if you keep up with your steps.

For me personally, I do have a watch that counts my steps and I do check it regularly to see how I am getting on and if I do not manage to get out for a walk due to the weather !! (I’m not one to walk in the rain) then I do try to do a few more steps up and down my stairs but 10,000 is out of my league. My back just doesn’t like me to do more than 7,000 but I feel the benefit of that so it’s better than nothing.

The NHS point out that walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier.

Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.

You do not have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.

The British Heart Foundation has some walking plans you can follow and other programs available online are Weight Watchers, or you could sign up and walk for your favourite charity. I am sure Captain Tom has inspired many people to do,just that.

Walk for Water have set up challenges for March for people to walk 4, 8 or 12 kilometres for their charity. Walk where you can, when you can, and raise funds to help make clean water normal for everyone, everywhere.

Walk for the millions of women and children who walk distances like this every day to get the water they need to survive.

All distances reflect a walk that women and girls around the world have to take each day to reach water. Women and girls like Tiyamike, Majory and Felisberta.

When you Walk for Water, you’re helping to give Tiyamike, Majory, Felisberta and others across the world the power to change their own lives, forever.

Lots of other charities have walks you can sign up for including Memory Walk, for Alzheimer’s, British Heart Foundation, Help the Heroes and lots more to choose from online.