Don’t underestimate the power of a brisk walk. Getting into this type of daily cardio and hitting your step goal can help reduce body fat, improve your cardiovascular fitness, give you an energy boost, improve your coordination and balance, reduce tension and stress, and strengthen your immune system, according to Mayo Clinic. Needless to say, if you want to stay fit and healthy as you age, you better put on those trainers and hit the trails to reap those benefits! We’ve rounded up the top five walking habits that slow down aging, which will make you more convinced to walk.
Keep reading to find out how you can improve your health by adding daily walks to your routine. Your mind and body will thank you.
One way to increase step count and calorie burn is to ditch elevators and escalators altogether. Opt for the stairs instead so your body can work harder to get you where you need to be.
Another pro tip is to park further away from your destination. Many of my clients who work in offices and are more sedentary do this to increase their daily steps. Get used to this routine, it really helps!
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If your goal is to increase your daily activity, you should incorporate at least two walks into your routine. Getting at least 30 minutes is the bare minimum, so to optimize your health and slow aging, you need to do more than that. An easy way to schedule two walks is to do one during lunchtime/early afternoon and another after dinner.
After all, research shows that taking a short walk after eating can lower the body’s insulin and blood sugar levels (via WebMD). The study’s lead author and Ph.D. Aidan Buffey, a physical education and sports science student at the University of Limerick, explains: “When standing and walking, there are contractions of your muscles . If you can do some physical activity before your blood sugar peaks, usually 60-90 minutes [after eating]that’s when you’ll have the advantage of not having a glucose spike.”
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Want to make your walks a little more challenging? If so, bring light dumbbells with you. The extra load you are carrying will allow you to work a little harder while you walk, which will help you burn more calories and incorporate your upper body during the workout.
As a caveat, you don’t want to choose weights that are too heavy, as they can disrupt your natural walking rhythm. Start with 1-2 lbs.
If you’re a proud dog parent, a great walking habit is to bring your dog with you to enjoy the cardio fun. Chances are you’ll walk even more than if you were alone and also help your dog become more active. What’s better than that?
The final walking habit that slows aging is alternating between a steady pace and a “brisk walk” speed. This will increase your heart rate and increase your calorie burn. You can start with 20 to 45 second intervals of brisk walking between your usual walking pace.
Tim Liu, CSCS
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles. Learn more about Tim
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