Make Your Walks Work for You
April 6 is National Walking Day. With springtime upon us, you may be ready to take your walks outside and soak up better weather. No matter how you make walking part of your routine, you’re doing something great for your health and yourself.
What can a daily walk do for you?
Improve your mood. Get the mood-boosting benefits of exercise and reduce stress. Plus, taking your walks outside can give you the added benefits of being out in nature. Walk and talk, stroll alone, or bring a furry friend with you — you can’t go wrong!
Curb cravings. Walking can lower your appetite for sugary foods.[1]
Achieve a healthier weight. Walking can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, and walking is generally associated with less weight gain across time.
Lower your risk. Walking can help lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. [2]
Live longer. Walking more can help lower your risk of death. [2]
Protect your joints. Walking can prevent arthritis by strengthening your bones and joints. [3]
Adding walks to your routine can make you stronger — inside and out. Walking is something you can do anytime, anywhere, but making any change to your routine can be challenging. Unless walking is something you do regularly, you may not know where to start. All change can be challenging. Start where you are today and improve your routine over time.
Try these tips to get stepping:
Go with the weather. Bring back your outdoor walks when the weather allows but have a backup plan. On days where it’s too cold (or hot) to take your walk outside, hop on a treadmill, take laps at a local shopping center, or get active another way at home.
Track your steps. Use your smartphone or a pedometer to monitor how many steps you take each day. See where you’re starting and aim to add more steps each day.
Make sure your sneakers are comfortable. Choose a shoe that fits and gives you the right support so that you can stay active and injury-free. [3]
Warm up before and stretch after. A few minutes of stretching can help you recover better and prevent injuries. [3]
Start where you are. You may have seen different recommendations for when, how, and how much to walk. Try not to get caught up in the details in the beginning. Instead, focus on improving upon where you are today. You have your whole life to master your walking routine — just get started!
Walking doesn’t have to be a chore. Focus on making it enjoyable for you; that way, you’ll be more likely to stay consistent. You could listen to your favorite music, a podcast, or chat with a loved one. Try to turn walking into something you get to do, rather than something you have to do.