Established Regular walking habits It’s good for your mind, body and soul. Put on your sneakers and hit your favorite trails. walk Walking routes, whether you “walk and talk” on the phone with a loved one or have a walking buddy, are a great way to increase your steps throughout the day and stay social. Plus, if you have access to a treadmill, you can maintain a healthy habit no matter the season or the weather outside. The benefits of walking are numerous. We spoke to personal trainers who break down what walking every day does to your body.
This low-impact, low-intensity cardio workout can easily be incorporated into your daily routine because “it doesn’t create as big a stress response in the body as higher-intensity exercises like HIIT or running do, especially for those new to fitness,” she explains. Amanda Capritta certified personal trainer, sports nutrition coach, and functional training specialist. “Plus, walking is a low-cost activity; all you need is some comfortable clothing and the right walking shoes. It’s a very accessible form of exercise, and if you live in an area with safe walking routes, you don’t need to buy any equipment or get a gym membership.”
Walking isn’t a very exhausting exercise, so combining it with other exercises, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can help you increase your weekly activity.
Now, let’s take a closer look at what happens to your body when you walk every day.
You can burn more calories.
the study Scientific evidence shows that walking can burn more calories than jogging, and by adding a few simple changes to your daily routine, Walking to run errands or go to workcan help with your weight loss efforts.
“Walking burns calories,” he explains. Domenic Angelino, CPT Author for the International Personal Trainer Academy (NPTA): “All other aspects of your exercise routine and lifestyle being equal, when you add walking to your routine, you will burn more calories overall than if you didn’t.”
You will lose body fat.
Walking is a great way to burn calories and is also effective in reducing body fat.
“[Walking will] “It directly impacts body fat,” Angelino says. “The exact impact depends on how many calories you take in each week and how many calories you burn overall. You may either slow down the rate at which you store fat or speed up the rate at which you lose fat, either of which can help improve your health and have a meaningful impact on your body.”
Improves calf endurance.
When you walk, you work many different muscles, including your calf muscles.
“The calf muscles are the most involved in supporting this process,” Angelino says. “Walking frequently can help build calf endurance, especially for sedentary people.”
It may cause a drop in blood pressure.
Walking every day lowers blood pressure and promotes cardiovascular health. the study We know that high blood pressure contributes to heart disease and that your level of physical activity plays a big role in this. Adding walking to your daily routine is one smooth step towards lowering your blood pressure.
“Lower blood pressure is beneficial because it reduces the risk of dangerous heart conditions like heart attacks,” Angelino explains. “By consciously walking at a faster pace, you can enhance the blood pressure-lowering effects of walking.”
Improves bone density.
When you think about improving bone density, you probably think of strength training, but walking can also help.
“[Walking is] “It’s still a form of weight-bearing exercise (moving your own body weight), which can have a positive impact on bone health,” Capritto says.
And research backs this up. study Published in American Journal of MedicineHealthy postmenopausal women who walked approximately one mile per day had greater total body bone density than women who walked shorter distances. The study found that walking reduced the rate of bone loss in the legs and was highly effective in maintaining skeletal integrity.
Improves the endurance of postural muscles.
If your job doesn’t allow for enough exercise, walking regularly can improve the endurance of your postural muscles.
“When we stand or walk, we use our muscles unconsciously to maintain posture,” Angelino explains. “This allows us to keep our torso upright and our limbs in a certain position throughout our daily lives. While walking does not place a particularly high stress on the postural muscles, it is still much higher than when we sit.”
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Alexa Merald
Alexa is the Associate Editor of Mind + Body at Eat This, Not That!, where she oversees the M+B channel and engages readers on engaging fitness, wellness, and self-care topics. Read more about Alexa
