Putting Your Feet to the Pavement

by Journey to Health Nutritionist, Lainie Wolter

“Gotta get my steps in!”

“Working on my step goal.”

“10,000 steps/day!”

“Hot girl/mom walk”

We hear it, read it, see it online – what’s all this hype about walking? This type of exercise has so many benefits: simple and requires no equipment, doesn’t have to be time-extensive, reduces blood pressure and supports good cholesterol, improves mood, strengthens the heart, burns calories, and even more! Whether you’re on your weight loss journey or just looking to increase your cardio, walking is a great place to start!

Get started today, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. That’s the beauty of walking – if you have a few minutes of free time you can use it to walk around and move your body!  To incorporate walking into your day, try to create a routine. A great way to ease in is to aim for 10-15 minutes in the morning and 10-15 minutes in the afternoon or evening. Do this 3x a week, and work up to 4 or 5 times and increase your duration.

Be sure to stretch properly before, during and/or after to keep your muscles loose. You can even vary your pace throughout your walk to keep your heart rate up! This is a simple way to stay engaged and keep your walk interesting.

Walk around the house while you talk on the phone, around the parking lot during a break, around your office while you read paperwork, on the treadmill and watch a show or movie, up and down the sidewalk after dinner, find a new trail or park to explore; JUST GET MOVIN’!

What part of your day can you change to incorporate walking?