Exercise doesn’t need to be complicated when you’re just starting out, or for that matter, anytime.  If you’ve been inactive for a while, recovering from an injury, feeling excess stress or not feeling motivated, just walk.  It’s one of the easiest forms of exercise; you don’t need any equipment, other than a pair of walking shoes, you can do it anywhere and in most weather conditions and it doesn’t matter what age you are.  I personally started walking in my early 20’s at the advice of my family doctor. His message to me was:  All you need to do is walk for 20 minutes a day at a brisk pace and that will mean the difference between being an active, vital, healthy 60 year old or one that is frail, sick and carrying around a pill box.  I’m now in my late 40’s, continue to walk most days and can happily state that I’m rarely sick, very active and healthy and don’t take any medications!

Why Should You Walk?

Overall Health Benefits:  Moderate exercise is excellent for your overall health.   According to an article from Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, they found that “In a report that included findings from multiple well done studies, researchers found that walking reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 31% cut the risk of dying by 32%.”  Walking improves cardiac risk factors and helps to protect against dementia, obesity, diabetes, depression and colon cancer.

Stress Management:  Exercise, specifically walking, is recognized as an essential element in building and maintaining mental fitness.  According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, walking also has many psychological benefits.  It can help in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, it can reduce anxiety, and help with feelings of anger, tension and fatigue.  Walking can also improve the way you perceive your physical condition, athletic abilities and body image. Enhanced self-esteem is another benefit.

Weight Loss:  Walking burns calories.  Based on a 2009 study, as reported by the Harvard Medical School, of 4,995 men and women found that the average American gains about 2.2 pounds a year during middle age. But during the 15-year study, people who walked gained significantly less weight than those who didn’t; the more walking, the less weight gain. And the benefit was greatest in the heaviest individuals.

How Do You Fit It In?

There are twenty-four hours in a day and of that, the average person should sleep between seven and eight hours.  That leaves sixteen to seventeen hours left, so there should be no excuses on how to fit a daily walk in!

Start with 15 minutes a day for the first 2 weeks and then increase to 20 minutes the next week.  Evaluate how you feel and either choose to increase the intensity of the walk or increase the duration by another 5 minutes for another two weeks.  For optimal health benefits, your end goal should be 30 minutes of walking at a brisk pace at least 5 days a week.  I choose to wear a Fitbit for tracking my progress and have recently upgraded to a Fitbit Charge 4.  It shows how many steps I’ve taken, my heart rate, the distance and it even has a built in GPS, so you can see where you’ve walked on a map.  Devices aren’t necessary for walking but if you like tracking your progress then I would recommend investing in one.

When and Where Should I Walk?

The beauty of walking is that it can be done anywhere and anytime.  On days that I work from home, I lace up and go first in the morning before I start my workday.  Days that I had to go into the office, I kept an extra pair of shoes and socks in my desk and would go for a 20 to 30 minute walk at lunchtime.  Some days, I would go for another shorter walk in the evening after dinner to decompress and wind down after a long day.  I walk at our cottage, while travelling for business and on holidays.  All as an easy way to stay active, manage stress and enjoy different sites.  If you work in the city or live close enough, choose walking as your means of transportation.  It’s an easy way to get those steps in. 

The key to is to just start with one walk and keep it simple.  You will never regret having gone for a walk!

Disclaimer:  As a service to our readers, Our Healthy Table provides information and opinions.  No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.