Walk this way.
Most of us are able to go for a walk, right? Well, let me tell you how the simple act of daily walking is one of the most underrated habits for weight loss, fitness and overall wellbeing.
In just 30 minutes every day you can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, boost muscle power and endurance, and feel happier! What are you waiting for? Get your shoes on and off you go!
There are so many benefits to walking daily; it is an effective low-impact exercise that requires minimal equipment, can be done at any time of the day and can be performed at your own pace, anywhere. If the gym is not an environment you feel comfortable in or have access to and getting on a bike is out of the question, then this is a great way of improving your health and getting you kickstarted on that vitality journey.
Let’s dive into the benefits of walking…
1. It’s free!
Unlike some other forms of exercise, walking is free and doesn’t require any special equipment or training, just a comfy pair of shoes and a packable waterproof coat! Going for a walk can be easily done in your local area, round your local park or venturing further afield to the countryside or the coast. It’s also an exercise that can be done at any time of the day, you’re not restricted to a certain time (like a gym class), so whatever your daily commitments are with work or children or life in general, you can plan a walk into your day at a time that suits you best.
2. Improves cardiovascular health
Regular walking strengthens the heart, reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering blood pressure. Regular exercise, including walking, coupled with a heart-healthy diet helps to maintain normal blood pressure levels, which reduces the strain on the heart. By raising the heart rate by just a little, circulation is enhanced to deliver oxygen and nutrients more efficiently throughout the body, promoting better overall health. An improved heart function and better circulation can lead to greater energy levels and less fatigue.
3. Supports weight management
Walking supports weight management by burning calories and aiding calorie deficit, especially if you walk at a brisk pace and combine with a balanced healthy diet. While it may not burn as many calories per minute as higher-intensity activities like running, it is a sustainable and consistent way to increase calories expenditure throughout the day. Regular walking also helps to boost metabolism, meaning you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising. Bonus!
4. Improves digestion
Walking helps improve gut health and supports digestion by stimulating the intestines and reducing bloating. Getting out for a walk especially after you’ve eaten your lunch or your evening meal has a big impact on regulating blood sugar levels, and helps your body become more insulin-sensitive meaning less body fat, less inflammation and less belly fat. Walking can also stimulate bowel movement by activating the muscles in the digestive tract, which helps move food through the intestines more efficiently.
5. Improves sleep quality
Walking can promote better sleep, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Regular physical activity like walking helps lower cortisol (stress hormone) and releases endorphins (‘feel good’ hormones), so by reducing stress and anxiety and boosting our mood, it can make it easier to relax and fall asleep. A brisk walk can increase physical tiredness, making it easier to fall asleep and sleep more deeply.
6. Supports your biological clock
Getting exposure to sunlight, especially first thing in the morning, is one of the easiest (and cheapest!) ways to support your biological health. Sunlight directly impacts your mood, helps manage stress levels, enhances sleep quality (melatonin) and provides essential vitamin D, crucial for mental and immune health. Exposure to sunlight in the morning, even on a cloudy day, sends signals to your brain syncing your body’s natural clock (circadian rhythm). So, if you’re a morning person, set the alarm 30 minutes earlier and start the day with a brisk walk.
7. Promotes muscle tone
Walking engages multiple muscle groups, especially in your legs, core and hips. This helps improve muscle tone, which can increase resting metabolic rate. To add some extra calorie burn, in fact 3x more calories, then you could try rucking. This is the action of walking with a weight on your back. Basically, wear a rucksack and pop a weighted disc or pad into it (start with 3-5kg) and off you go. You’ve probably already spent years rucking without realising – traveling or on your commute to work. Rucking builds muscle and strength while improving cardio and endurance. You’ll burn a lot more calories than walking, similar to that of a jog or a functional fitness class.
8. Social opportunity
Catching up with friends or a work colleague can be difficult these days with our busy lives but a 30-minute brisk walk in your lunch break or a catch-up early evening can be the ideal opportunity. Walk and talk with health benefits! Spending time walking with a friend is a science-backed way to lower cortisol, boost oxytocin, boost mental health, increase longevity and improve your heart health. Too many benefits here not to send that message now and arrange a date!
Walking after meals turns food into fuel and steps into strength.
Top tips to get you walking and increase the daily steps
If you’re not used to exercise, start small, just get yourself out of the house and start moving - even 10 minutes a day will deliver a benefit. And you’ll find that those next steps will become easier & easier. You don’t have to put on the Lycra, just start with a brisk walk at lunchtime or after your evening meal.
Borrow a dog – so many people invested in a furry friend during Lockdown and now more and more people are returning to the office as opposed to working from home. Surely you know someone who needs their pooch taking for a quick 15-minute walk round the block.
Listen to your favourite podcast or an audiobook whilst walking. A great opportunity to catch up on your downloads.
Take the stairs – if there is a choice between escalator or stairs, always take the stairs! Another opportunity to increase your daily step count.
Switch the 20-minute evening phone scroll through Instagram or Tik Tok and take a brisk walk instead, the health benefits far outweigh the phone scrolling.
Walk to the Vinted parcel drop off instead of getting in the car
Walk the children to school, they’re benefitting too.
If you drive to work, park the car 10 minutes away from your workplace, that’s 20 minutes a day easily banked already!
Run out of milk, a quick 10–15-minute walk to the local shop is only a few minutes slower than driving and finding a parking space.
If your day is totally manic and you really struggle to find that spare 30 minutes to get outside and walk, and if you work from home, there is the option of a walking pad. These are becoming more and more popular for people based at home, walk and work at the same time, no excuse!!
I hope this has given you some inspiration and a greater understanding of the health benefits to go out for a daily walk, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. For me walking daily is a given, I walk a minimum of 15,000 steps per day. I have friends who live local all the time say to me ‘I saw you walking the other day’, yes that’s me, whatever the weather!
Stay tuned for more articles like this and feel free to share my blog with a friend who you’d like to start walking with!