If you walk in the mornings, you may want to consider if walking before or after breakfast matters and if it will help you process your weight loss goals.
Research is biased on whether or not skipping breakfast will increase your metabolism or help you lose weight faster.
To start your day with a short walk can offer several health benefits. You may feel more active throughout the day, see your mood improve and mental performance get better and even sleep better at night. But, be sure to stretch before and after your walk and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
If you feel you need more clarity, talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine. Here are healthy 5 tips for your daily walk routine.
Tips for Your Daily Walk Routine
1. Perform a Warm Up Exercise
Yes! to prepare those muscles for a walk, you need to warm up for a few minutes to help increase blood flow throughout your body and to get your muscles and joints ready to move. You can try some simple warm up moves:
- Stand on one leg and carefully swing the other leg back and forth 10 to 20 times. Switch legs and repeat.
- Perform a set of squats by standing with your feet hip-width apart. To engage your core, keep your back straight and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Do this 8 to 10 times.
- Standing with your legs about shoulder width apart and your arms straight out to your sides, make 10 backward circles with your arms and then 10 forward circles.
2. Protect yourself Outdoors.
If you decide walking outdoors, be certain to apply some sunscreen, wear sunglasses and a hat. If you’re walking in colder weather, dress in patterns that you can feel off as you warm up.
Get enough water to keep you hydrated throughout your walk. You might also chose to carry your phone with you in case you need company.
3. Buy a good pair of shoes
Before you make the first steps, ensure you have the right walking shoes. Your shoes should be lightweight, but strong enough to provide a cushion for both the sole and heel of your foot.
The shoe should have enough room in the front of the shoe for your toes to fit comfortably, but not so much that the shoe moves around with each step.
4. Wear cotton clothing
Wearing loose-fitting clothing in lightweight, breathable, cotton fabrics will help make walking more comfortable. Dry-fit clothes that wick away perspiration can help keep you cool and dry.
5. Make it Exciting
There are possibilities you’ll be more likely to stick to your walking routine if it’s something you enjoy doing. To turn up the fun factor, you may choose to consider:
- Listening to a podcast while walking
- Listening to a playlist of your favorite tunes that make you want to move
- Walking with one or two friends or joining a walking group
- Having a fitness tracker or app to set goals and challenge yourself.
- Walking your dog or volunteering to walk dogs at an animal shelter
Should You Walk Always?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes or more of vigorous-intensity activity each week for overall health and disease risk reduction.
You could do a five quick 30-minute walks a week. If that sounds a bit challenging, then split it into more manageable chunks of time. For example you could do:
- Three 10-minute walks a day
- Two 15-minute walks a day
- To get the most benefits from your walking, try to do at least 10 minutes at a time.
To begin you goal, may want to start by walking on flat surface. As you build up your endurance and strength, you can start walking up small hills.
In Summary
Walking is a perfect type of cardio activity. But in order to challenge your cardiovascular system, you need to walk at a pace and intensity that increases the demands on your heart, lungs, and muscles.
What are the cons of walking?
There are many advantage of walking in addition to boosting your cardiovascular fitness. A regular brisk walking routine may help:
lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
improve blood flow
manage high blood pressure
improve cholesterol levels
control blood sugar levels
build stronger muscles and bones
keep your weight under control
improve your sleep
boost your energy levels
improve brain function
improve balance and coordination
Thank you for Reading!
