Boost Your Health with 3 Expert-Recommended Walking Workouts

 3 walking workouts recommended by experts 

These walking workouts can help reduce your risk of heart disease, improve your mood, and help you maintain your weight. 

Studies show that walking is a surprisingly effective health and fitness strategy. 1 Our bodies are designed to walk. But there's more than one way to get the most out of those daily steps. 

 Wellbeing talked to three specialists with diverse approaches to beneficial strolling to offer assistance you select the strategy that's best for you.

Workout 1: 10,000+ steps per day 

"Physically speaking, walking gets your heart rate up and burns calories," celebrity trainer David Kirsch told Health. "But it's too a extraordinary way to fortify your mind-body association, center on your breathing, spend time in nature, ponder, and diminish stretch." 

For starters, it's  about walking up to 10,000 steps per day, which is the default daily goal for most fitness trackers. To maintain heart health and control weight, 10,000 steps per day is a good goal. But once you've done that, challenge yourself to reach 15,000 to 25,000 steps per day. 

"10,000 should be the absolute minimum," Kirsch noted. To increase the intensity of your walking, try walking in hilly areas or carrying 1- to 3-pound ankle and hand weights.  Incorporating strengthening exercises  like jumping jacks,  lunges, squats, and jump squats every few minutes can also help, suggests Kirsch. Incorporating these exercises into your intervals can help  build muscle, improve your heart health, and increase your endurance. 2 

 "Strolling is one of the best ways to keep up your weight," Dr. Kirsch.

Workout 2: Walk 30 minutes per day 

"Walking is one of the best ways to keep up your weight," Dr.

 Amy Rothberg,  an endocrinologist and clinical professor of internal medicine in the Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes at the University of Michigan, told Health magazine. "It's an aerobic exercise, it uses your largest muscles, and it's doable for most people." 

Walking  at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can help you maintain a healthy weight, says Dr. Rothberg. Plus, you don't have to walk 30 minutes at a time. "You can break up 30 minutes into 10-minute chunks throughout the day," said Dr. Rothberg. 

Plus, a short walk will fly by, so it may actually be  better  than walking for 30 minutes all at once. Short, intense activity can help improve your overall fitness level. And even low-intensity exercise like brisk walking can help burn some of the fat stored in your body. 3 

 "It's a amazing start and a unimaginable development to any wellness program."

"It's these little wins that inevitably lead to incredible affinities."

Workout 3:  10+ Minutes of Walking/Jogging 

Running coach Jeff Galloway told Health that adding running intervals to your walking can help you burn more calories. Plus, starting out slowly this way can help you increase your distance and prevent injury. 

Start with 10 minutes of jogging at 5 to 10 seconds per minute, gradually building up to 30 minutes. Once you've achieved this goal, increase the duration of your jog even further until you can jog at a speed of 30 seconds per minute for 30 minutes. 

Finally, you can plan for short walking breaks . For illustration, walk for 30 seconds, at that point run for 60 seconds Galloway says this method can help you train for a 5K or even longer distance run. 

If you're a regular runner who averages 10 minutes per mile, Galloway recommends alternating between 90 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking. If you average 12 minutes per mile, try alternating between 60 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking. 

More Walking Training Ideas 

In addition to these three methods, here are some other techniques to keep your walks interesting: 

• Vary your pace.  Walk uphill at the gym or incorporate inclines, such as hills or stairs, into your route. 
• Go for a walk outside. 
• Get a friend to join you. 
• Listen to music. 
• Try  walking meditation. Track your progress. 

Benefits of Walking 

Walking is an easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily life. Studies have shown that walking at a moderate pace reduces the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar as much as running. 

Walking regularly has several health benefits, including: 

•  Reduces the chance of heart malady, tall blood weight, diabetes, and certain cancers
• Lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels 
•  Improves sleep 
•  Increases energy 
• Reduces the chance of sadness and uneasiness

 It has also been shown to help with weight maintenance. One study found that a 12-week moderate-intensity walking program reduced abdominal fat in overweight and obese women. 

The program also increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), an indicator of fitness. Walking also helps prevent some serious diseases. Studies have shown that  a short 5-minute walk every 30 minutes can improve metabolic health, lower blood sugar levels, and lower blood pressure. Walking in a group has even been shown to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of depression. 

 Quick Summary 

Walking exercise is a great way to get and stay in shape. It can go anywhere with little equipment. Once you start exercising, there are plenty of ways to intensify your training and stay healthy. 

In the meantime, you'll reduce your risk of various chronic diseases and improve your mental and physical health.