Walking is a great form of exercise because you can can do it at any time, and it’s easy to include in your daily routine. Contrary to popular belief, you can get a great workout from walking. Studies show you can burn just as many calories walking as running, and reduce your risk of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. However, to reap these benefits, your walk in the park shouldn't always feel like a walk in the park!
If you aren't breaking a sweat and you don't feel your heart pumping, your walking routine is probably too easy.
READ: 26 of the Realest Reasons Black Women Walk
It's important to make sure you're walking at a pace and rate where you can truly achieve the benefits and impact you want to have in your routine. Here are three ways to determine if your walking routine is too easy and tips to turn up the intensity:
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1. You're able to talk nonstop with your walking buddies.
Having someone to walk with is great to help keep you motivated, but if you are using this as catch up time to stroll and talk, your walking won't be as effective as it could be. Take the "talk test" to measure if your walking is intense enough. Talk out loud when you are walking (if you're alone this may look a little interesting, but don't worry about that!). If you can carry on a conversation or sing a song while walking and there is not an increase in how you are breathing, your walking pace is not fast enough. However, if you need to breathe deeply every few words, then your pace is brisk enough. And conversely, if you are unable to hold a conversation at all, you need to slow down.
Walking Tip: If you are a new walker, it’s ok if your pace is not as fast as others. You can always change up your walking pace where it is slow, then go to a moderate or faster pace for 5-minute increments, then reduce your walking speed to a lower speed. This provides some variation in your walking, and you still reap the benefits as well. If you are trying to have a steady pace, you can always use a treadmill which will measure your speed more accurately and also your heart rate.2. You don't have anything to show for your walking.
If you've been consistently walking (the American Heart Association recommends walking at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) and it doesn't feel challenging anymore, or you don't feel any improvement in your energy levels, muscle tone or weight loss, it may be time to kick things up to see some results. Mix up your walking routine by walking faster or changing the difficulty of the terrain by walking hills. You can also add in other forms of cardio walking routines such as swimming, jogging or cycling.
Walking Tip: Use a treadmill in your walking routine. Increase the incline on your treadmill to create resistance. In doing so, you will sculpt your glutes and work your heart more than walking flat. By mixing things up in your routine, you are less likely to plateau in your walking workout. Variation in walking keeps your body guessing, and when you integrate these changes, you challenge the body in different ways which help you to meet and exceed your fitness goals.
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3. You don't feel the slightest bit fatigued after your walks.
You shouldn't feel completely exhausted after walking, but you should feel like your body has put in some work. If you don't feel like you've exercised after walking, try to walk farther and longer distances. Don’t focus on the pace or how fast you are going but more so walk long enough to build up your endurance. You will not need to be as intense because you are covering longer distances. Try to walk for 1 hour and add in a 10-minute increment of walking at a brisker level if you want to challenge yourself further.
Walking Tip: Measure your heart rate while walking. There are many fitness trackers which will help you to do. You can also take your pulse at your wrist or neck. You'll be able to see in real time if you're moving fast enough to get your heart pumping.
Don't cheat yourself out of the many benefits walking has to offer by taking it too easy.
