One Step At A Time: The Benefits of Walking

Physical activity can be hard, especially when trying to juggle work and family life. You don’t have to hit the gym every day to feel many of the health benefits related to physical activity. Squeezing in just 10 minutes of physical activity each day has proven to have many benefits to your health. Walking is a great place to start and it doesn’t require any special equipment. You can always grab a friend or family member to walk with you too! Having a walking buddy can make it easier to get moving. Find a pair of comfy shoes, a local trail, water, and some good tunes – Let’s Get Moving! 

There are different types of walking. Pick whatever works best for you!

• Brisk Walking: Walking at a fairly quick pace that provides a gentle workout and has many heart health benefits. 
• Interval Walking: “Speed-walking” for a short time and then walking at a comfortable pace for a short time. This activity will improve heart health and burn more calories than regular walking. 
• Inclined Walking: Walking on an incline mimics the health benefits of running without the toll on your body. You can also burn more calories and strengthen your lower body muscles when walking on an incline. 

What are the health benefits of walking? Here are just a few: 

• Improve heart health and circulation 
• Strengthen bones and muscles
• Increase energy levels
• Reduce stress, improve mood 
• Lessen joint pain
• Better your balance

We know that getting active can be challenging, but you don’t have to make big changes all at once. You may find it helpful to start by creating goals for yourself! Here are some steps to help you create and stick to your goals: 

Step 1: Pick a small goal. Make sure it is specific, measurable, realistic, and works well with your lifestyle. Pick an activity, give yourself a time frame, and be sure that it’s something that you can really see yourself doing. 

Example – Let’s say you want to start walking for 10 minutes a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 

Step 2: Be consistent with your goal. It may be helpful for you to track your progress on the LGM Log Sheet, or in a notebook or planner. This way you can see how well your goal is working for you. If you find that you aren’t able to stick with it because it’s too challenging, revisit Step 1!

Example – You successfully meet your goal of 10 minutes a day, three times per week. Fill in the 10 minute interval on the LGM Log Sheet each time you complete this to help you stay motivated. 

Step 3: Continue to create new goals and challenge yourself! If you are ready for another challenge, create another goal for yourself. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new things. 

Example – Let’s say you set a new goal to start walking for 15 minutes a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with faster intervals throughout your walk. 

It takes time and patience to make progress and every small goal reached deserves to be celebrated! If you need ideas for goals leading up to the Let’s Get Moving 5k, check out our 2024 LGM 5k Training Plan: A 6-Week Guide for Beginners.