Something as simple as a brisk walk can be great for your mental wellbeing but it has lots of other benefits.
Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight. Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Running is also great exercise, but it can put a lot of demands on your joints. It is greatly beneficial to combine running and walking. Walking isn’t the easy option – it could be the right option.
It is always good to monitor your walks or activity levels to ensure you are staying active but also to measure your progress. Here are a few tips to hopefully get you moving and to get the best out of that walk.
What is the best way to walk?
Make the time in advance
Put the walk in your diary. Plan your day around it so you know it is going to happen.
Morning walks are good. They set you up for the day.
The middle of the day is a good time to walk. Waking meetings or walk whilst you are making calls can be productive, but you must pay attention to your surroundings.
Walking at the end of the day is good. It will clear your mind and stretch those legs after being sat for long periods.
Walk with a purpose
A good target for people is 10,000 steps a day. This can be a good indication of how active you are (minimum) but does it mean you’ve accomplished something? For you that might be a good goal, but a good walk can give you focus.
Morning walk. Speed your metabolism up ready for the day ahead. See the sunrise and get plenty of oxygen in your lungs to kickstart your day.
Middle of the day. Using the walk to help you make those calls can feel good. You can make a voice recording afterwards then write some notes later. Exercise and productivity!
End of the day. You may have a lot on your mind and just going home to sit in front of the television may help you switch off, but will it clear your mind? A good walk at the end of the day will help you not only clear your mind but set you up for a nice stretch before dinner. Be sure to put those problems you’ve been thinking about into your notebook or journal.
Get the benefits
Walking is exceptionally good for fat burning as you can keep yourself working aerobically and using oxygen much easier. Keeping yourself “slightly out of breath” is a good indicator.
To monitor intensity use the RPE SCALE- rate of perceived exertion.
Obviously, if you are walking fast and still not slightly out of breath you may need to be creative. You could run of course, but you could also use a route that has hills or add some squats to increase the intensity.
Always have a gentle stretch at the end to prevent injuries and ‘cash in’ on the exercise.
It is good to have a familiar route if you are monitoring your progress, but if you can, please vary it, give your mind some stimulation. Again, pay attention and don’t get lost.
Start with something you can achieve for example 10 minutes, 3 times a week then increase when you can make up the time or you are seeing the benefits so feel you can invest more time on the most important element… you.
If you want some individual help with developing a bespoke walking plan, you can book one of our personal training sessions.
HAPPY WALKING!