Walking is Worthy Cardio

We all want to decrease stress, increase deep sleep, process emotions better, and decrease our risk of cardiovascular disease, right? Our golden ticket? Walking!

Walking has many other health benefits as well, especially when done outdoors. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get 150-300 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise to improve cardiovascular health and decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, and hypertension (aka high blood pressure). This number can seem daunting, but it can easily be broken up into shorter segments that still boast health benefits!

*Disclaimer* Keep in mind, walking with a cute toddler often slows your pace to mild intensity, although at times, may turn into vigorous intensity!

High blood pressure is known as the ‘silent killer’ because it can often go unnoticed. Most of the time, someone with high blood pressure does not have symptoms. This is why it is vital to have annual blood pressure checks and have more frequent checks if you smoke, have a high fat or high salt diet, live a stressful lifestyle, or have a family history of high blood pressure.

Walking at a moderate intensity is an excellent way to improve health, increase longevity, and reduce complications that many adults face today. Moderate intensity walking would be a pace that may….require you…. to take pauses…. in your conversation…. to take a breath. Walking with purpose may be another way to describe it-and if you know my mom, you would know exactly what that looks like!

You can break up the recommended 150-300 minutes by walking 25-50 minutes per day for six days out of the week, or walk for an hour three times a week. If you walk more, the better! What’s even greater news? The benefits of walking at a moderate intensity are still present even  if you need to break up your sessions into smaller increments. If you’re aiming for 30 minutes a day, you can walk 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes after lunch, and 10 minutes after dinner, and it still counts! If you need a guide to 'walk' you through (pun intended) a 30-Day reset program with encouragement along the way, consider grabbing a copy of our 30-Day Reset: Refueling our Call:

30 Day Reset

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If you are new to exercise, start small! Walk for 5 minutes every day and gradually increase it over time. If you are a pro, consider tracking how much cardio exercise you get during your week to be sure you are optimizing your cardiovascular health. As always, consult your health care provider before starting any exercise program to be sure you are safe.

Happy walking!

Dr. Ash