Yes, Walking Counts as Exercise. A Personal Trainer Shares the Biggest Benefits

With the warmer weather back, now is the perfect time to stroll around your neighborhood neighborhood or local parks. And if you need more inspiration, you can get into trends like “hot girls walking” or “mental health journey.”

Depending on your speed, walking may not trigger immediately exercise In your Fitness tracker It’s like jogging or climbing stairs. Therefore, people on the internet have a disagreement on whether walking is really a kind of exercise. We spoke with a personal trainer to learn about the benefits of walking and how to take your day job to the next level.

What are the trends for popular girls?

During the summer of 2020 pandemic barriers, Tiktok personality Mia Lind felt isolated and dealt with negative thoughts. So she began to stroll four miles, thinking about gratitude, her purpose, and her passion. Inspired by rapper Megan Thee StallionHot girls walking“And start sharing them online.

Is walking counting as exercise?

Yes, walking is exercise, while experts in the physical and mental health discipline are consistent. Sergii PutsovA certified personal trainer with a PhD in sports science, said: “A walk of just 30 minutes a day can reduce your risk of severe cardiovascular and dementia.” April CrowA licensed clinical social worker at Paramount Wellness Retreat added: “Walking in natural environments can also improve cognitive functioning and creativity, providing unique therapies.”

Is walking more than just building the power of the heart? As it turns out, yes. this Mayo Clinic Other health benefits of walking have been identified. According to the Medical Center, walking can improve muscle endurance, boost energy, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and support the immune system. You can see outdoors and On the treadmill.

Walking alone can also change the shape of the body. In 2017 Sports and Health Magazine A meta-analysis of 22 clinical trials related to walking and health was performed. The results show that in obese patients under 50 years of age, light walking reduces waist circumference, fat mass and body fat percentage to “clinical significance”. It can also lead to overall weight loss. So if you stick with it, the “hot girl walk” you do may cause a noticeable change.

Do you have enough exercise on your own?

As part of the circuit, walking can certainly be combined with other activities. You can also walk as a warm-up for jogging or cycling. Walking on your own can lead to results and may have fewer negative effects on your body than other high-impact sports.

Gregor Parellaalso said to be walking for the sake of walking: “This is much better than jogging because jogging can put inappropriate pressure on the ankles, especially if you build heavy ankles. On the other hand, brisk walking is one of the best exercises because it will spread your legs and calf muscles without the same pressure”.

Even walking at a slow speed is more likely to be still than staying at home, but faster speeds can also speed up health benefits. Research in 2019 Atherosclerosis It was found that male doctors with an average age of 67.8 years “walking pace is inversely proportional to the risk of death from death and cardiovascular disease.” In other words, the faster you walk, the lower your risk of death and cardiovascular disease.

Regarding how long you should go, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends At least 150 minutes Moderate-intensity physical exercise every week, or 30 minutes a day for five days, for a considerable health benefit. This may include walking briskly at 2.5 to 4 mph. Walking at a slow or leisurely speed (2 mph) is considered a mild intensity activity, which may have some health benefits compared to sedentary behaviors, but is not as good as walking lightly.

Health benefits of walking

Walking has many health benefits. Not only can it be movable Lower cortisol levelslike all forms of exercise and provide you with fresh air, but you may see various tangible improvements in the following health indicators:

• Better sleep. Low-impact physical exercise can lead to healthier sleep. One published in Healthy sleep It is found that increasing steps every day lead to better sleep, especially in women.
• Lower risk of type 2 diabetes. according to American Diabetes Associationa minimum 30-minute walk a day can help you avoid type 2 diabetes. Increasing your daily step count may keep your glucose levels on checks.
• Lower blood pressure. Research in 2022 American Family Doctor The report said that a regular hiking plan moderate intensity can lower systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate.
• Improve balance. As you age, keeping your feet stable is becoming more and more important for your health. Harvard Health Publishing It is pointed out that walking will strengthen the lower body, thereby improving balance.
• Reduce the risk of cancer. Walking may even reduce the risk of certain cancers. Research in 2013 Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers and prevention It was found that postmenopausal women with at least seven hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer, while women walked for three hours or less per week.

How to make walking more intense

If your walking procedure reaches the plateau, you can Increase some intensity Walk without jogging or switching activities. By giving your body a new challenge, making your walk more stringent can increase the number of calories burned. How to increase your stakes on a daily walk include:

• Increase walking time. If you are currently walking 30 minutes a day, please go to 10– or 15 minutes interval. If your goal is to lose weight, Putsov recommends walking at least 45 minutes a day.
• Increase the speed. You can also increase the intensity by picking up speed. Free Fitness workout app Enable GPS (including Nike Run Club) to help you track distance and time to calculate pace.
• Wear wrist or ankle weight. Tied to weight Bala Bannles Can kick your gear. These types of weights can be worn on the ankle or wrist to provide resistance.
• Alternate to your pace. We talked with recommended walking intervals to make walking more challenging. Try walking for five minutes at regular speeds, then walking for five minutes, and so on.
• Add inclination to your route. Are you walking on flat surfaces on most routes? Find a hill to increase the difficulty of trekking. You may also want to add Retro Walk (Walk backward) Lean.

How to keep motivated

It’s easy to get excited about a new exercise routine initially, and it’s natural to feel bored or frustrated when you stop seeing big results. You may find music and podcasts helpful because they make time pass faster. Just make sure that these sounds are background noise so that you can still be aware of your environment and your surroundings.

Crow also recommends setting clear, achievable goals. This can remind yourself how far you have gone, she said, explaining: “All the achievements you have made during the walk, whether through a mobile app or a personal journal, will remind you that you can work harder next time.

If you want to do it alone, it’s hard to keep track, try walking with your partner or check if there are walking clubs in your area. Parella says walking partners can increase your accountability and make the experience more fun. You can also try to keep your new landscapes motivated during your walk. Bathing in the sun will increase your Vitamin D intakewhich may improve your mood.

Safety tips when walking

Make sure you can accomplish this task on your daily walk or on the sidewalk where popular girls walk. While a community or a lakeside walk may seem harmless, you still want to set up your own safe reward.

1. Bring water. At medium temperature, REI recommend Drink half of the water (about 17 ounces) per hour. If it’s very hot outside, you should increase drinking water. Walking dehydration may make you feel dizzy or sick, so make sure you bring Water bottle.
2. Wear the right shoes. You don’t want to exit the commission mid-walking due to an ankle sprain or severe blisters. Installation quality in a sports store Walking shoes Suitable for your feet and arches.
3. Let someone know your location. Make sure someone can find you when you are walking in nature or at night. Sharing your location on Google Maps is an easy way to do this.
4. Wear reflective gears at night. If you walk after morning or dusk, wear a reflective coat or vest. You can also get reflective tape and add it to the back of your shoes and pants.
5. Use sidewalks. The U.S. Department of Transportation states that you should always walk On Pavement. If there is no sidewalk, it is facing traffic.
6. Plan your route. To avoid getting lost or wandering in areas that may not be safe, plan your route in advance. This will help you understand your surroundings while allowing you to give someone the exact location before you set out.
7. Carry a cell phone. If you are walking alone (especially at night), make sure to bring your phone in an emergency. But don’t let your phone distract you from being so alert and aware of your surroundings.