Robina: The walkable neighbourhood
With the surge of wellness bloggers, serial workout photo Instagrammers and super fit celebrities, you’d be forgiven for thinking the only way to be fit and healthy was by slogging your way through a high intensity sweat-fest.
But the humble walk offers an immense range of health and fitness benefits and what’s more it’s both free and enjoyable.
Walking has been shown to increase energy levels, improve mood, strengthen your heart and bones and even prevent dementia.
Our modern life has meant that lots of us are living more sedentary, indoor lifestyles, stuck in front of computers with very little opportunity to stretch and move during the day. This has led to an increase in vitamin D deficiency, obesity and contributed to the rise of serious illness.
Getting out in natural light boosts your vitamin D levels, tones your legs, bum and tum and is excellent for lowering cholesterol levels. Walking and talking with a good friend is a great way to combine a little physical and mental therapy!
Lack of time need not be an excuse, just 30 minutes a day will see you feeling and looking radiant in no time. Throw the kids in the pram and take them with you, or take them to a park with large grounds and let them play while you walk around it.
With Robina laced with dozens of parks, cycle paths and picturesque walkways it’s the perfect location in which to get active and healthy. We asked long time local Marcus to reveal his favourite Robina walk for us.
“I like to walk all the way along the landscaped waterside paths in Riverwalk, which brings you out alongside Robina’s biggest lake – Lake Lido. From there I head across to the Robina City Parklands, which has a pathway that takes you right around the 17 hectare park and along the edge of Mudgeeraba Creek. I can then link back home along Laver Drive. The best time of day is first thing in the morning when it’s quiet and still and the water is like glass. I like the transition from the urban CBD streets to the serene open space of the parklands and then back again. The perfect way to start the day.”
Marcus mentioned that it had now also become habit for him to walk to work daily. An easy 5 minute stroll takes him from his apartment in Robina to the office in The Rocket.
Leaving the car at home in a walkable neighbourhood where work, play, shopping and dining options are all within easy reach not only benefits your wellbeing, but ultimately saves both money and the environment.
If you prefer exercising with a group, Gold Coast City Council has Active & Healthy programs running every week for all different age groups.
Division 11 Councillor Hermann Vorster has extended the program in Robina and Varsity Lakes, to now be considered one of the most comprehensive programs across the city. Activities include yoga, rehabilitative fitness, walking, running, skateboarding, mums and bubs sessions and much more. Read more, hot off the Division 11 press here.
So put your best foot forward and become one of the walking well today.
