Our friends at 99 Walks know that walking is an easy and effective form of exercise. Every month, hundreds of women who want to get moving sign up and join them for a walking challenge, and end up falling in love with the supportive community, daily inspiration, and gorgeous, wearable inspiration they receive after crushing their goal.
And did you know that just 30 minutes of moderate walking 5 days a week is enough to improve your health? Here are five tips for getting the most out of walks, from the pros at 99 Walks.
- Walk more. It sounds simple, and it is. The more you walk, the better. As long as you build up, there is practically no downside to walking more and more. 10,000 steps are good, but 15,000 are better. And did you know where 10,000 steps came from? It originated as a marketing campaign by one of the first pedometers from Japan, which was named "10,000 Step Counter," in Japanese.
- Walk as much as you can. A University of Warwick study compared people with at least one sign of metabolic syndrome—a group of risk factors (high blood pressure, fat around the waist, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides and cholesterol) for heart disease—to those with no risk factors. They found that those who got the least activity had the most risk factors, and those who walked the most, accumulating at least 15,000 steps per day, had healthy BMIs, smaller waists, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and better blood sugar control.
- Walk as often as you can. 15,000 steps equal about 7 miles. Most of us don't have time for that all at once. But if you break out a couple of 10-15 minute walking breaks and add in your regular walking as you go about your day, as well as one longer walk at a moderate pace, you'll accumulate more miles.
- Walk faster. You'll get more out of your walks the faster you go for two reasons. First, if you go faster, you'll walk further. And second, as you pick up the pace, you'll raise your heart rate and challenge your body to adapt and improve that much more.
- Mix up your pace. Try walking at a steady, moderate pace for 5 minutes, then very briskly for 1 minute, then slow down and recover for 2 minutes. Repeat this routine 4 more times and finish with a cool down. This 30-minute walk will challenge you as well.
- Hit the hills. Walking up and down hills will vary the intensity automatically -- harder going up, easier going down. It will also alternate the impact and stresses in your muscles and joints as each part uses your muscles in different ways.
Ready to start walking more and achieving your goals? You don't have to do it alone. Join the next walking challenge now at 99walks.fit, and discover what hundreds of moms are so excited about!
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