Take the first steps toward better health
With so many exercise options available, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to start. One of the simplest ways to begin improving your health is also one of the easiest.
A regular walking routine requires no money, can be done almost anywhere and offers benefits for both physical and mental well-being. In many cases, the path to better health starts with something as basic as putting one foot in front of the other.
Walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise for good reasons. It improves mental health, sleep and longevity while decreasing the risk and severity of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia.
Another perk? Walking offers benefits regardless of your fitness level because any physical activity is better than none, said Dr. Amanda Paluch, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences in Amherst.
Walkers start to reap benefits even with a stroll around the block, through a park or down a trail. Research suggests(link opens in new window) that the more steps a person takes each day, the more they reduce their risk of dying. But that benefit peaks at 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day for people 60 and older, and between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day for those younger than 60.
Here are some simple (and fun) ways to boost the benefits of walking.
- Pick up the pace
Studies show a faster, more intense pace is associated with greater cardiorespiratory fitness and larger reductions in the risk of chronic illness. Increasing speed has benefits even in intervals as short as 20 seconds.
“Your pace is a big determinant of how much health benefit you get from walking,” said Dr. Keith Diaz, a certified exercise physiologist and associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. “Increasing pace is the easiest thing to do.”
- Add in other movements
Simple exercises, such as calf raises, can be added, as can other muscle-strengthening or resistance-training activities. These can be done before, during or after the walk.
Research suggests adding lunges can also add health benefits to a walk.
“As we age, physical function can decline,” Diaz said. “Lunge-walking is a means to maintain, if not improve, muscular function.”
Lunges can be incorporated into all or just some steps during a walk or can be done in intervals along the way, Paluch said.
“Work some muscles that are different from the ones you use walking,” Paluch said. “Including even 10 minutes of resistance either before or after a walk can maximize the health benefits of walking. These can be simple activities that don’t take a lot of time, such as sit-ups or modified pushups.”
Lifting light weights can also add benefits, but Paluch does not recommend carrying weights while walking because it can increase the risk of injury.
- Remember to stay present
It may be tempting to use digital devices while walking, but resist that urge.
“Don’t be on a screen while you’re walking,” Diaz said. “That may sound obvious, but in this day and age, that’s what a lot of people do.”
Taking a break from digital devices allows people to de-stress more fully, he said.
- Find ways to use your upper body
Nordic walking, created to help cross-country skiers train during the summer, involves using a set of specially designed poles that work the muscles in the upper body. It has been shown to improve resting heart rate and blood pressure and to increase exercise capacity and oxygen consumption. It’s increasingly being suggested as a form of physical activity for older adults.
“The science behind it is really compelling,” Diaz said. “You’re engaging more muscles and using your upper body more, so you burn more calories than you do with regular walking.”
- Make it social
Research shows that group outdoor health walks can mitigate social isolation and improve social well-being, which has been linked to better health and longevity. Studies have also found that strong social connections help people get and stay active.
“Walking can be a social activity as well as a physical activity,” Diaz said.
And while there is no evidence that talking while walking burns extra calories, he said, there is research suggesting that genuine laughter increases energy expenditure by up to 20%.
You may not see the pounds falling off, Diaz said, but you’ll have a good time trying.
