10 Tips to Implement More Walking For Your Health
Exercise does not have to be super intense or take very long to have major beneficial side effects. Walking for your health is a great way to get started on your health journey. There are so many benefits to walking. The more important aspect of exercise to remember is regularity over intensity. “Walking for 2.5 hours a week - that’s just 21 minutes a day - can cut your risk of heart disease by 30%.” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/special-health-reports/walking-for-health?utm_source=HHPBlog&utm_medium=link&utm_content=related-text&utm_campaign=referral)
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for adults in the United States.
Some benefits to walking for your health include improved mood and a proven reduction in depressive symptoms. When you include a regular habit of walking, you increase hormones and brain proteins that aid in boosting your mood, concentration, and mental clarity.
Some easy ways to implement more movement into your daily life are:
1. Join a walking group
If you live in a large city, you can use the app called Meetup to find local walking groups. They might have different walks sorted based on distance so you’ll know if it’s within your comfort level. If you live in a rural area or small town, then Facebook groups for the town may be the best place to find other walkers. If your library has a bulletin board, you may be able to check there as well.
But you don’t have to socialize to walk. Walking alone is very meditative and fantastic for your mental health. If you go to your local park or even just walk around your neighborhood, it’s a great way to meet your neighbors as well.
2. Make it a family affair!
If you live with family or roommates, ask them if they would like to walk with you every day. It is a great way to strengthen your bond with each other and share your victories together when you reach certain milestones.
3. Make it a routine
The importance of having a routine or plan is for incorporating more movement into your life is more so than trying to do an intense workout once a week. If you have a set work schedule, ensuring that you slot out the same 21 minutes each day will slowly make it as routine as brushing your teeth. If your schedule changes constantly, then you will need to do a little extra planning each week to find the time in each day and write it down on your calendar.
4. Change your scenery
Walking around the neighborhood or around the same parks can become stale and boring, perhaps causing you to lose your motivation to walk. Exploring new parks in neighboring towns, hiking trails, or forest preserve routes are great ways to not only enjoy nature but also get some great exercise. Alltrails.com is a great resource to locate hiking and walking trails near you, download maps, and find a suitable distance to walk before you go.
5. Walk, don’t sit during your child’s activities
If you have a lot of after school activities, practices, and events to attend to watch your child enjoy, don’t sit or wait in the waiting area or bleachers, get up and walk around the park, neighborhood or field during this time. You’ll not only feel more productive, you’ll feel refreshed and energized when you are both done!
6. Invest in a wearable activity device
Using a simple pedometer or more high-tech devices like an Apple Watch or Fitbit can definitely motivate you to walk more. A lot of smartphones even have pedometer capabilities - be sure to check the pre-loaded apps that came on your phone or search your phone for “health” to see what apps come up that you can utilize to track your steps. You can set daily steps or timer goals for yourself.
7. Hold a walking challenge
Get your friends and family excited about walking too. You do not have to make it complicated or expensive. You can download a free pedometer app, set daily and weekly goals, and celebrate the winners. The winners will certainly get plenty of recognition and bragging rights.
8. Squeeze in a walk at lunch
Invite a colleague on your lunch break to go for a quick walk. Incorporating a short walk during the workday can increase your productivity and boost your creativity.
9. Break it up into shorter walks
While getting 21-30 minutes a day of walking in is the most beneficial for your health and cardiovascular system, you may find yourself so busy that you cannot find the time to commit for 21 minutes straight. If you find yourself having a hard time committing to finding 21 minutes straight, then try breaking it up into two smaller segments of 10 or 11 minutes each. Enjoying your morning beverage while walking for 11 minutes in the morning and enjoying an after-dinner break for 10 minutes in the evening are two great ways to make it easy to achieve your goal of 21 minutes as well as help to incorporating it into your day and make it routine.
10. Start small and work your way up!
As with everything, when you set a BIG goal of 2.5 hours per week, it can become daunting, overwhelming, and discouraging if you do not achieve it. Setting small, achievable goals of 21 minutes per day can help you gain momentum in your goal, make it routine, and help you feel that you’ve accomplished something to better your health on a daily basis.