Why Walking is Key to Improve Your Health and Weight Loss; the benefits, mistakes to avoid and how to get started

Many underestimate the positive effects a regular walking routine can have on the mind, body and spirit. There are even positive effects for those who want to lose weight. First let’s start with five ways walking is a great place to start when wanting to enhance your health routine.

1. It boosts metabolism. Extra movement, especially that gets the heartrate up, will increase your rate at which you burn calories.

2. It doesn’t require much recovery. I recommend stretching after a brisk 30 minute walk

3. It’s low maintenance. You do not need much to get started and zero equipment.

4. Walking soothes stress.

5. It’s a simple way to set a tone for healthy habits.

Walking briskly for 30 minutes daily can burn about 150 calories, that’s 1,500 calories a week. It takes 3,500 calorie burns to lose a pound, so that’s about 3 weeks from walking alone to lose 1lb. If you want to speed things up, you can add 15 minutes of strength training before your walk and 15 minutes of stretching after your walk for extra calorie burn and stress relief. Or you can work your way up to an hour of walking or more 4-5 days a week and pay close attention to your calories, this will also set you up to jumpstart weight loss.

Walking Mistakes to Avoid

1. Keeping the same intensity: Vary up your intensity. Walking needs to challenge you for you to receive it’s physical health benefits. So, try powering walking for 1 minute and slower walking for another minute and alternate for 15 minutes. Then power walk for 90 seconds and walk slower for 1 minute for the last 15 minutes.

2. Doing the same thing over and over: Change up your routine. Shaking up what you do intensity wise is great but also, add in hills and different terrain. Change your route to keep things challenging and exciting.

3. Not strength training: Add in strength training. If you’re just starting out, get used to one thing at a time but when you’re ready to add more, strength training is so important to increase your metabolism and get in better shape.

4. Ignoring diet: Weight loss is calories in versus calories out. Diet is key to losing weight, feeling more energized and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

5. You’re still too sedentary: If you’re sitting for 15 hours out of a 16 hour day, that will throw a wrench in your weight loss and health goals. Movement is what we are designed to do, so practice NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) and find ways to get more steps in throughout your day; stairs, parking farther away, getting mail, errands, 5 minute walking breaks from work, etc.

6. You’re not walking long enough. At first you might be able to get away with 15 minutes but eventually, your body will want more movement to continue to get healthier. Give yourself a step goal or a challenge of getting in a certain distance in a specific amount of time. Always keep it challenging and exciting.

9 ways to get started and maintain a walking routine

It might feel like a struggle to get started. Here are some tips to get you going and keep you going;

1. Tell yourself to commit to 10 minutes, after that you can quit. Chances are, after that, you’ll finish out the next 10 to 20 minutes since you’re already doing it anyway.

2. Make it fun and enjoyable. Create a walking routine that feels good and something you can look forward to. Maybe you pop in your earbuds and listen to a podcast or talk on the phone with a family member or friend. Or get into the mentality of “I get to…” movement is a gift. Speaking out loud to yourself, “I get to take a break and go for a walk.” will create a mentality of gratitude.

3. Create mini challenges. 5 minutes more each day or give yourself a step goal or a friendly competition with a buddy.

4. Recruit a partner or walking buddy.

5. Create a daily routine around it. For example, get the coffee brewing, go for a walk. Come home and grab your coffee, light a candle and stretch and sip for 15 minutes before work or the kids get up. A beautiful routine that’s good for your mind, body and soul.

6. Make walking the only change to your routine. Just because it’s the new year does not mean you have to overhaul your life overnight. Keep it simple and just add in walking for now.

7. Speak about walking as if it happened rather than “ifs”. This will help you stay committed.

8. Track your progress each day or week. Tracking progress is a great motivator.

9. Have a reason bigger than you to get you moving toward greater health. Sit and ask yourself why is losing weight or getting healthier really important to you? Write out all of your reasons.

Setting goals can be tough, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, read through this blog on How to set Goals for 2021 to help you implement a walking routine.