Research has found that walking is a surprisingly strong health and fitness strategy. Our bodies were made for walking. However, there’s more than one way to get the most out of those daily steps. Health spoke to three experts with different approaches to a rewarding stroll so that you can choose the best method for you.
“From a purely physiological standpoint, walking raises your heart rate and burns calories,” David Kirsch, a celebrity trainer, told Health. “But it’s also a great way to increase your mind-body connection, focus on your breath, spend time in nature, meditate, and de-stress.”
For beginners, it’s all about working up to 10,000 steps a day, which is the preset daily goal on most fitness trackers. Ten thousand daily steps is a good target for keeping your heart healthy and managing weight. However, after you’ve mastered that, challenge yourself to hit 15,000 to 25,000 daily steps.
“Ten thousand should become the bare minimum,” noted Kirsch. To amp up the intensity of your walks, try a hilly landscape or wear two-to three-pound ankle and hand weights.
Incorporating toning exercises every few minutes, like jumping jacks, walking lunges, squats, or squat jumps, can also help, suggested Kirsch. Adding those moves in intervals will help you build muscle, improve heart health, and increase endurance.
“Walking is so good for you,” said Kirsch. “It’s a great start and supplement to any wellness program.”
“Walking is one of the best tools for weight maintenance,” Amy Rothberg, MD, an endocrinologist and clinical professor of internal medicine in the division of metabolism, endocrinology, and diabetes at the University of Michigan, told Health. “It’s aerobic, it engages some of the biggest muscles, and it’s feasible for most people.”
“Walking for at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week, helps maintain a healthy weight,” said Dr. Rothberg. What’s more, you don’t have to log a half hour simultaneously. “You can do your 30 minutes in 10-minute bouts throughout the day,” said Dr. Rothberg.
Plus, walking for short periods goes by quickly, which may be even better for you than walking for 30 minutes straight. Short, vigorous activities can help increase your overall fitness level, and low-intensity exercises, like fast-paced walking, can help burn some of the body’s stored fat.
Walking in chunks of time can give you little boosts of confidence to keep you motivated, too. “Whether it’s parking farther away or walking to meet a colleague, you get a sense of accomplishment,” said Dr. Rothberg. “It’s these little successes that end up establishing good habits.”
“Adding running intervals to your walks can help you burn more calories,” Jeff Galloway, a running coach, told Health. “Plus, easing into running like that allows you to build up your distance while avoiding injury.”
Start by jogging for five to 10 seconds per minute for 10 minutes, gradually working up to 30 minutes. Once you’ve conquered that goal, add more extended periods of jogging until you can jog for 30 seconds per minute for 30 minutes.
“Eventually, you can build up to short walk breaks. For example, walk for 30 seconds, then run for 60 seconds. That method can help you train for a 5K or even longer race,” noted Galloway.
“If you’re a regular runner with a 10-minute mile average, alternate 90 seconds of running with 30 seconds of walking,” suggested Galloway. “If you average a 12-minute mile, try alternating 60 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking.”
In addition to these three methods, here are other techniques to keep walking interesting:
- Switch up your pace.
- Walk at an incline in a gym or add elevations such as hills or stairs to your route.
- Walk outdoors.
- Ask a friend to join you.
- Listen to music.
- Try a walking meditation.
- Keep track of your progress.
Walking is an easy way to introduce movement to your routine. Research suggests that walking at a decent pace may reduce certain health risks just as much as running.
Walking can:
- Reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers
- Lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels
- Improve sleep
- Boost energy
- Decrease the risk of mental health conditions
Taking a quick five-minute walk every thirty minutes may improve metabolic health (how the body burns energy from food and drinks), lower blood sugar levels, and reduce blood pressure. Walking with groups may also improve quality of life and lower the risk of depression.
Additionally, walking is good for weight management. One 2017 study found that a 12-week moderate-intensity walking program decreased belly fat in women experiencing obesity or being a higher weight than discussed with their doctor. The program also increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), which is the highest amount of oxygen a person can use while exercising. Knowing your V02 max can determine your fitness level.
