In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to exercise isn’t always easy, but there’s one type of movement that is often overlooked, despite having great health benefits and being easy to incorporate into your day: walking.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just starting your health journey, taking more steps throughout the day can significantly impact your overall wellbeing, both mental and physical.
Let’s explore the benefits of walking daily and some practical tips on how to increase your step count effortlessly.
The benefits of walking every day
Walking is great for you, and there are many reasons why:
- Heart health: Regular walking strengthens the heart and lowers blood pressure. In fact, just an extra 15 minutes of walking per day can lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.
- Mental health: Walking releases endorphins, a happy hormone that can help reduce stress levels, anxiety, and depression.
- Weight management: Consistent walking can help you burn calories, contributing to your weight loss efforts (though it is only one piece of the puzzle – eating in a calorie deficit is also key).
- Muscle and joint health: Walking helps keep your muscles strong and your joints flexible, reducing the risk of injuries.
- Better sleep: Physical activity like walking can improve sleep quality, by helping to regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and reducing stress levels for a calmer mind.
- Longevity: In Blue Zones – areas of the world where it is common to live to over 100 years old – older adults are more likely to walk throughout the day, which is believed to be a contributing factor to their longevity.
How to walk more every day
Finding ways to incorporate more steps into your day doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some practical tips:
- Set clear goals. Start by setting achievable daily step goals. Many fitness experts recommend aiming for 10,000 steps per day, but if that seems daunting, start with a smaller goal and increase it as you go.
- Take short walks throughout the day. You don’t have to take all your steps at once. An easier approach is to break up your day with short walks. For example, take a five-minute walk every hour or go for a 20-minute walk before work, at lunch and after work.
- Track your steps. Whether you use your phone, a fitness tracker or simply time your walks, having a way to track your walks is a great way to stay motivated and accountable.
- Incorporate walking into your commute. Can you walk or bike to work? If so, that’s an easy way of upping your step count. If not, consider parking further away from your office or getting off the train a stop earlier than usual and walking the rest of the way.
- Take the stairs. Climbing stairs is a great way to increase your step count and get a mini workout.
- Schedule walking meetings. If you have meetings that don’t require sitting in front of a computer, suggest going for a stroll. This is a productive way to meet and be active simultaneously – two birds, one stone.
- Explore new routes. Walking the same route every day can get boring, so why not keep your walks interesting by exploring new streets in your neighbourhood? Variety is the spice of life, and that applies to walking too.
- Make it social, whether it’s with a friend, a family member, your partner, or a walking group. Socialising while walking can make the time pass quickly and make the activity more enjoyable – and you’ll reach your 5000, 8000 or 10,000-step goal without even realising.
- Combine walking with other activities. If you prefer to walk solo, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music is another way to make the experience more enjoyable and help the time pass quickly.
Walking is a simple yet powerful way to improve your wellbeing. By incorporating more steps into your daily routine, you can enjoy the many physical and mental benefits that come with regular physical activity.
Remember, every step counts, so get moving and make walking a part of your daily lifestyle.
