Tips to Make the Most of Walking for Exercise

Did you know that walking is one of the best, most readily available forms of cardio exercise? It has some wonderful benefits.

• Increases circulation

• Relaxes tension in the neck and shoulders

• Relieves lower back pain, hip stiffness, and joint pain

• Boosts immune function

• Aids in weight reduction

• Assists with disease management

It is essential to remember some basics to get the most health benefits. Use these tips to make the most of walking for exercise.

Have the right equipment. The correct shoes for walking are essential to protect the lower back, knees, and legs. Having the proper arch support, heel support, and cushioning for your foot type is necessary, and so is noting that they wear down over time. Having a good pair of walking shoes will help you avoid injuries. Here is a helpful tip. Visit a local running store and allow an associate to fit you for the correct type of walking shoe for your feet and gait patterns. Take your old walking shoes to the store with you. They can examine the wear on the sole of the shoes and recommend the right shoe to address any inward or outward wear patterns. This will help ensure you have the correct foot, arch support, and gait stabilization type shoe. Good quality walking shoes usually last for 300-500 walking miles. That means if you walk 30 minutes a day for five days a week on average, you will likely see sole and insole wear that will indicate the need for replacement every six to twelve months.

Have the right strategy. It is always recommended that you warm up and stretch briefly before doing any exercise to increase the temperature and blood flow in the body and decrease the risk of injury.  This is true for brisk walking as well. When doing walking exercises to raise your heart rate, use the talk test to help monitor your walking intensity level. You should be able to talk but not sing during your activity. Over time, your heart and lungs get into better shape, and when that happens, you have to work a little harder to elevate the heart rate. Here are a couple of ways you can do that:

• Walk faster

• Walk further

• Walk on hills

• Walk with one-pound weights while you walk

• Include 10-15 second sprint intervals into your walking session

Split up your activity. Walking for 30 to 45 minutes daily is a great goal, but maybe you find it challenging to carve out that amount of time. Research shows that splitting your time into 10-15 minute chunks throughout your day provides the same benefit as walking it all at once. Going for a brisk walk at the start of your day, during a lunch break, and before dinner can help you manage the stress of the day while also helping you get your cardio minutes simultaneously.

Be sure you are safe. It is always important to be aware of your surroundings. Walk in well-lit areas and on walking paths or sidewalks whenever possible. Use a flashlight or blinker light and a reflective vest when walking in dark or unlit areas. Walk against the traffic when there are no sidewalks to see oncoming traffic, and be able to get out of the way if the driver doesn't see you. 

Walking is a great way to manage weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Consistency is the key. My husband always reminds me that he lost the 15 pounds he gained during COVID-19 by walking. He didn't change anything else. He was consistent with walking several miles at a moderate-intensity level. Some days, he walked them all at once, and another day, he split them up into several smaller walking sessions. If he can do it, so can you.

Use these tips to help you make the most of walking for exercise.