It's the best bang for your buck.
Do you get intimidated by gyms or fitness programs? Do you find it hard to stick with weight training, or have just had trouble finding a type of exercise you enjoy?
Is it a struggle trying to make time during your day to move your body?
At the same time, maybe you feel frustrated because you’d like to lose some weight, you wish you had more energy, your sleep is pretty bad, and you’re dealing with some chronic health issues like high blood pressure.
Physical activity is a crucial part of good metabolic health. But we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to spend time at a gym, play more pickleball or take Zumba classes.
Which are all great options if you enjoy those things!
But often we tell ourselves that we have to do something hard that we hate for 30 minutes a day in order to be healthy.
Obviously that’s not true.
I am a huge fan of weight training. I think everyone would benefit from lifting something heavy a couple of times a week.
I also love swimming, climbing, jogging, playing pickleball, and soccer.
But if there is one exercise that I would suggest every single person should do every day, it’s this:
Walking.
Walking is, all things considered, one of the most powerful tools for improving metabolic health and reversing chronic diseases.
I know, it sounds almost too easy.
But walking is something most everyone can do. It’s free and has zero learning curve.
Walking after meals helps to balance your glucose response and keeps you insulin sensitive.
Walking does work to burn some extra calories, but the amount you burn during your walk is pretty small. That calorie burn can add up though if you include more or longer walks during your day.
Walking also helps to build and preserve muscle, which helps you store more glucose and has higher caloric demands.
Long, steady movements like walking also tend to use more fat for fuel, so taking longer walks (60 mins or more) can help work off the fat around your belly.
Walking outside in nature is great for reducing stress, as well. Plenty of studies have shown the mental health benefits of walking outside.
[Curious what it's like to get personalized nutrition and fitness coaching? Click here to find out!]
Ok, so obviously walking is great, but how do you fit more of it into your life?
I’m sure you’re thinking “Joel, I don’t have time to take a 60 minute walk!”
Sure you do. Maybe you can’t get a 60 minute walk in all at once, every day.
But I’d bet that most days, you have 15 minutes here, 10 minutes there.
During the week, what about the time you spend sitting on the couch scrolling instagram? Go for a walk instead.
What about the time you spend on the phone or in meetings at work? Can you take it outside for a walk instead?
What about the time you spend answering emails? What about a walking pad or treadmill desk?
Could you take a short walk after dinner with the kids?
And on the weekends, you probably have more time you can spend going out for a longer walk with family or friends.
Do you already have a good walking routine, but maybe want to increase the intensity?
If you’re ready for walking 2.0, here’s my suggestion: Add weight.
I love rucking, which is just walking with a heavy backpack on.
But you could just carry small dumbbell weights, or put on ankle weights before walking out the door.
There’s tons of resources on how to start rucking, but basically put something heavy (start small, like a large book) into a backpack, and stuff a sweatshirt in with it so it doesn’t bounce around.
Keep the backpack tight to your shoulders and high on your back, and go for your normal walk.
Sometimes, it’s just a matter of breaking our inertia and doing something different for the first time to redirect our momentum.
It’s a matter of making the time to start, taking those first steps toward a new habit.
There’s nothing quite like walking to start making improvements to your metabolic health.
But sometimes, we can all use help getting started or staying on track.
In your personalized coaching program, we work together to create a nutrition and fitness plan that works best for you. No guesswork, no frustration or overwhelm. Just a solid plan and someone to hold you accountable.
I’m here to provide the tools, support and accountability you need to succeed.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Ready? Let’s go!
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