One of the best ways to get and stay healthier is your daily step count. Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise. Many people think it's too easy to make any real difference in their body composition. Walking for as little as 20-30 minutes per day directly boosts cardiovascular fitness and decreases blood pressure. When you combine it with proper diet and some strength training, walking is a great way to improve your health. It can definitely make a significant difference to your fat burning process while putting minimum stress on your body as a whole.
I have found that running (which I LOVE to do) creates more overall systemic stress and can negatively impact your recovery after your weight training workouts, whereas with walking you're not really going to get any of that. If anything, I've found that walking can improve your recovery and your joint health as well as minimize the same level of fatigue as compared to more intense forms of cardio. When you go for a walk you can get that calorie expenditure you're after without feeling exhausted afterwards. Walking about 20,000 steps daily is something I've come to genuinely enjoy and look forward to.
 |
| Today's steps (thus far). |
Just by incorporating that one simple thing into my day has allowed me to lose almost 30 pounds in the past few months. For most people 8,000 steps a day is a reasonable goal to aim for, though there's no real upper limit here. I personally enjoy doing structured walks on the treadmill or the trail while listening to podcasts or Youtube videos. I also walk between sets at the gym. You can physically see how this has helped me get into better shape for my upcoming climb this summer.
In short, walking is definitely a worthwhile investment and it can really make all the difference in terms of the speed and ease with which you lose any unwanted fat you may be carrying around. Of course, if you're not properly managing your calorie intake, you're still not going to lose weight, so make sure your diet is properly dialed in and your weight training plan is correctly mapped out.
Have a wonderful evening!