Why You Should Go for a Walk Right Now

Many people believe that running is much healthier than walking, as you’re often pushing your body a little harder and getting that heart rate up. But walking has countless benefits for individuals of all ages.

Many of us have been sold the lie that in order to lose weight, we must partake in high-intensity exercises that spike our cortisol and basically make us want to die. But thankfully, by simply moving your body through workouts like walking, you can still burn calories and lose weight.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about walking is that it’s not an effective weight loss tool and that it requires a lot of time and effort for minimal results,” Keri Peterson, MD, told Women’s Health. 

However, she added, walking is a great way to shed weight—even if you’re just doing it for 30 minutes a day. Not only that, but it can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease, according to Dr. Peterson.

Not to mention, more people might be incentivized to walk than to run. I don’t know about you, but I get excited about my daily morning podcast and walk to my local cafe. But if I forced myself to run instead, I likely would have many more “off” days where I skipped exercise altogether.

Stop Pretending to Like Running. Walking Has Major Perks Too.

The trick is to choose an exercise routine that feels best for you. If walking suits your needs, don’t feel ashamed about it. You’re still going to be reaping a ton of benefits, including better sleep, a more positive mood, increased immunity, reduced cravings, and even higher creativity, according to the Women’s Health article. 

To get the most out of your walks, however, you should mix up your routine. For example, consider walking at a higher incline or quickening your pace on some days.

“If you’re able to vary your pace with more intense intervals of inclined or rapid walking to elevate your heart rate, you will also increase the calories burned,” Dr. Peterson said.