It might seem like walking is too easy to truly be a physical activity. After all, for most of us, walking is a part of our normal, everyday routines to get from one place to another, even within our homes.
When it comes to your health, though, including your heart health specifically, every little bit counts. Moving your body more often, no matter how you’re moving it, benefits your health.
Can Walking Really Help Your Heart?
If you’ve ever read a list of risk factors for pretty much any medical condition, you likely saw a sedentary lifestyle on the list. Being physically inactive increases the risk of developing many different health issues, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even certain types of cancer.
That’s why regular exercise is recommended as a way to protect your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week and strength-building exercise at least twice a week, which is just a little more than 20 minutes per day.
What is moderate-intensity physical activity? It’s any activity that makes it a little more difficult to breathe and gets your heart beating slightly faster than the norm, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, water aerobics or riding a bike.
So, taking daily walks helps protect your health and reduces the risk of many different health conditions. While walking is less intense than other activities, as long as you’re maintaining a good pace, your heart health will reap the benefits.
Regular walking can help you maintain a healthy weight, keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range, build muscle and reduce body fat, lower cholesterol, and even manage stress. All of those things help minimize your risk of developing heart disease and heart health emergencies such as a heart attack.
There’s another reason why walking is often recommended as a way to get more physical activity. Nearly anyone can do it! It’s a low-impact activity, meaning it’s less likely to cause joint pain, and it can be done almost anywhere at any time.
How to Build a Walking Routine
Looking to build walking into your daily routine? Creating a walking routine can actually be quite simple. These tips can help you get started:
- Gauge your fitness level. Are you already exercising regularly or dipping your toes into activity for the first time in a while? Honestly reflecting on how active you are can help you determine a starting point for your walks.
- Start low and slow. No matter what your activity level, it’s always best to start with a walk that’s less challenging than you think you could handle. Start with a small marker—such as one mile or 20 minutes—and then add distance or time after achieving your first goal.
- Choose a flat path first. Anyone who’s ever cranked up the incline on a treadmill knows that walking up a hill can be a real challenge. When you are beginning a walking routine, keep the treadmill flat or find a flat walking path at a local park or around your neighborhood. Once you’ve walked it a few times, you can ramp up with a slightly hillier path or add some incline.
- Remember to keep it brisk. The pace is the key to making walking a form of moderate physical activity. Strolling from one spot to another usually doesn’t fit the bill because it won’t get your heart working harder. You want to exercise your heart by challenging it. According to the CDC, you should be able to talk during moderate physical activity but not sing, so that can be a good rule of thumb.
- Listen to your body. No matter what type of physical activity you’re doing, it’s important to monitor how you feel. Keep your body at its best with regular rest and quality sleep, and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during and after activity. You’ll also want to find comfortable and well-fitting shoes, so work with a fitness shoe professional to find the right fit.
Keep Walking for Even More Benefits
The beauty of walking is that you can benefit from the activity no matter the speed or duration. A 2023 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that getting at least 2,337 steps per day was associated with a decreased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
If you’re ready to get more out of your walking routine, you can make small adjustments with big rewards. The first step is to increase the amount of time or distance you’re walking. Both keep you physically active for longer, challenging your heart to pump faster and increasing the number of calories burned.
You can also amp up your walking routine by changing how you walk. Believe it or not, walking backward is one way to increase the benefits of walking.
You can also get more out of your walks with what’s known as “rucking.” During this type of walking, you carry a weighted backpack, which provides increased resistance to your walk. Doing so can increase calorie burn and build muscle strength and endurance.
Intervals are a good option for burning more calories and boosting heart health. To reap the benefits, start walking at a steady pace, switch to a fast walk or even a jog for a specific time period (say 30 seconds or a minute) and repeat.
There’s an added benefit, too. Interval workouts are actually a form of high-intensity interval training, often called HIIT, which bumps your workouts from moderate to strenuous. Your heart will thank you.
More to Read
- Exercise Snacks & Other Ways to Counteract Too Much Sitting
- Strength Training for Weight Loss: Gaining Muscle and Losing Fat
- Strength Training for Women in Your 20s, 30s and Beyond
- Osteoporosis: Exercises to Improve Bone Health
Medically reviewed by Marie Therese Kanagie-McAleese, MD.
