Take a Walk
Walking is the best exercise. There, I said it. As someone who encourages people to lift heavy weights in the gym and teaches cardio and strength group classes, my hot take is that walking is the best exercise you can do. If you must choose how to spend your time in movement, then choose to go for a walk. Ideally, you don't have to choose and you can walk AND do other forms of exercise throughout your week. Here are a few key benefits of walking:
Increases your NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) - NEAT is all the activity in your day that isn't dedicated exercise. NEAT is one of the biggest contributors to fat loss, so movement throughout your day, in the form of walking or even household chores, will overall burn more calories during your day than your 30-60 minute workout.
Boosts your immune system - Studies have shown that people who walk daily get sick less often, even when other factors are controlled for.
Low impact - Walking is easy on your joints, which means less recovery time and less potential for injury.
Free and accessible to all - You can walk just about anywhere at any time and all you need is a comfy pair of sneakers. No gym or equipment needed!
Improves mental health - Walking has been proven to reduce depression and improve mental focus and clarity. Science doesn't need to tell us this, though -- go for a walk and you'll undoubtedly feel better.
And so much more!
How much walking should we do? There's no right answer, as it's highly subjective. My recommendation is to track your steps each day and then slowly work toward increasing your steps. If your starting point is around 5,000 steps per day, then aim for 5,500 for a couple weeks, and so on. An ideal range for most people is between 7,000 and 10,000 steps per day, with a maximum reach of no more than 15,000 steps per day (as studies show that the benefits of walking drop off at that level and likelihood of injury increases). Add in steps during your day by walking before/after meals, using walks as social time with friends, listening to podcasts or music as you stroll, invest in a walking pad for your desk, or whatever works for you. Remember that even a 10 minute walk is better than no walk at all.
Here are a few additional resources on the benefits of walking and about NEAT:
MindPump Podcast on YouTube: “For Long-Term Fat Loss Success, Walking Is BETTER Than Running” https://youtu.be/jvPFMvBGGoE
Jordan Syatt, “Walking is the simplest, easiest & most underrated exercise in the world.” https://fb.watch/kRJGzU1gZp/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking
https://blog.nasm.org/exercise-programming/neat-approach-weight-loss
Who's feeling inspired to go for a walk? I am!
