Exercise and a healthy diet are essential elements that go hand-in-hand when we are trying to stay fit, keep toned, maintaining or losing weight. The thought of starting an exercise routine can seem daunting, especially if you already have a busy schedule, but there are many ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine to burn more calories and work your muscles. One perfect exercise is right outside your front door – walking. All you need are some good shoes with support, a water bottle, and you are off to a great healthy start.
But how much walking do you really need to maintain a basic level of fitness? And is walking better for you than a strenuous workout at the gym? The answers depend on how fit you are to start with and what your fitness goals are. For instance, are you trying to get back in shape, lose weight, or improve your health?
Benefits of Dieting vs. Exercise
Following a healthy diet rich in fresh vegetables and low in processed foods will help you improve your health and help with weight loss. Natural whole foods tend to be high in nutrition and low in calories, filling you up not out. However, if you are trying to lose weight, combining exercise with a healthy diet is a more effective way to achieve your goal because exercise can increase your metabolism, or how many calories you burn in a day. In addition, it helps maintain and increase muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat, so even while at rest you are burning more calories.
To get the best results, you should combine daily movement with a healthy diet!
How Walking Helps with Weight Loss
It takes 15 minutes of moderate exercise (about walking one mile) to burn an average of up to 100 calories. At this rate, if you maintain the same daily calorie intake, you will burn 700 calories a week. That can add up to a weight loss of 10 pounds over the course of a year. 1 If you are looking for a quicker rate of weight loss, try working up to 300 minutes per week or about 45 minutes per day.
But weight loss isn’t the only benefit of adding physical activity like walking to your normal routine. There are health benefits too. Studies have shown that walking 5.5 miles per week at even a slow pace of 2 miles per hour can be enough to lower your risk of a heart attack, stroke, and heart failure by 31%. 2
If you are trying to lower your cholesterol levels or blood pressure, taking a brisk walk can have as much benefit as running without the wear and tear on your joints, BUT you will need to do twice as much to achieve the same results.
If you are looking to improve cardiac function, walking can help there too, but you might need to up your walking pace to get your heart pumping. As a general guideline, doing some form of aerobic exercise, in this case, walking at a brisk pace at least three times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes per session will help you maintain healthy heart function and overall general health. From there you can work up to about 150 minutes per week. How do you know if you are working hard enough? In general, if you can easily belt out a song you need to pick up your pace.
Is walking right for you?
There are many opportunities for you to move throughout the day. Here are some factors to help you decide if walking is the ideal exercise program for you.
1. You are new to exercise and need/want to start slowly.
2. You have a set workout routine that has become too routine and you would like a bit of variety. Introducing walking serves the dual purpose of burning calories but also has a calming effect on the nervous system. If you have a strenuous routine during the week, try alternating with one or two days of walk.
3. You are looking for a way to reduce stress. If you have a vigorous workout routine already, you could be elevating your levels of cortisol, the “stress hormone” of your body. Brisk walking, on the other hand, boosts endorphins, which can reduce stress hormones and alleviate mild depression. A UK study found that walking through green spaces can put the brain into a meditative state, helping quiet the mind and increasing awareness. 3
4. You have a limited budget. There are no sign-up fees or monthly membership dues to pay. No equipment is needed except for a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle.
5. You like a flexible schedule. You can set your own walk schedule, and there’s no need to plan in the extra time needed to travel to a gym or studio.
6. You enjoy being outdoors, as long as you are dressed properly. Every season has its own beauty and benefits, whether it is the crisp air and smells of autumn, the bright green colors of spring, the warm sun of summer, or the beauty of a fresh winter snowfall. Fresh air any time of year helps support the immune system and has a positive effect on our moods.
7. You feel self-conscious wearing workout clothing (at least at the start.) Feel free to wear whatever you feel comfortable in. No need to waste any time changing into special clothing either.
8. You have a dog for a companion that will also benefit from your new workout routine. No more feeling guilty about him/her not getting enough exercise.
Whether you choose to add walking to your daily routine or start another exercise program, here are some factors to consider before you get started.
- Remember to increase exercise slowly when you are just starting out. Aching muscles and joints are enough to deter you from continuing.
- Bring a water bottle and use it. Water is essential for your cells to function properly and helps keep your joints lubricated. This is especially important during the hot days of summer when we lose more liquids when we sweat. Pure water is sufficient if you are exercising for less than an hour at a time. Shoot for seven to 10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise to stay properly hydrated.
- The total amount of exercise you engage in during a day matters more than whether or not you do it in a single session. Consider times throughout the day when you can add in additional steps, such as walking to work or while running errands, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Even parking farther away from a destination and walking the remaining distance can make a big difference.
- If you are using a heart monitor to count your steps, 10,000 steps is what you will need to walk about 5 miles.
- It is important to choose an activity that you enjoy. If you like doing something, you are more likely to be motivated to do it!
- Find a walking or exercise buddy. If you have a friend depending on you, you will be more likely to stick to your schedule so you don’t let them down. If you tend to get bored, having someone else with you will keep you interested and distracted.
- Try using a walking app. Walking apps are a great way to set goals and challenge yourself. They come in two basic types. Apps that primarily track your walking workouts recording your speed, distance, and route; and pedometer apps that track your all-day steps and activities. Here is a listing of 8 walking apps from Very Well Fit that summarizes their attributes to help you decide the best one for you.
- How does walking stack up to other activities? Here are some common activities and the approximate amount of calories burned per hour:
- brisk walking, biking, dancing, or gardening - 370 to 460
- playing baseball, golf, or cleaning the house - 240 to 300
- playing football, jogging (at a nine-minute-mile pace), or swimming - 580 to 730
- skiing, racquetball, or running (at a seven-minute-mile pace) - 740 to 920
Happy walking!
Yours in Health,
Evey
