Is Walking Really Exercise?

By Gene Szpiech

As a personal trainer, I get asked this question a lot.

The short answer is YES, absolutely. Walking is movement. Movement burns calories. The longer answer is that it really depends on your goals and your current capabilities.

So let's take a minute and explore how to incorporate walking into your life.

If you have been doing absolutely nothing for the past several years, i.e. a couch potato, and you have decided to do something about it, I do not recommend that you start one of those extreme programs that you see on TV. Your body needs time to adapt to increases in stress that you put on it. So start out with a walk. Look for a walking trail by your house or hit the track at the local high school or even just go around the block a few times.

 If you have serious health issues or joint problems that would prevent you from participating in a strenuous exercise program, go for a walk. Like anything in life, you have to start out slow. Walk before you run as it were. You may not be able to go very far at first, but test your limits.

Now if you are somewhat active or have already been doing some walking and are looking to make some major strides in losing weight, walking alone will not be enough. Your body is highly adaptive. But it needs to be pushed a bit in order to make significant changes. But even if you are ready to embark on a more intense exercise routine, walking can still be beneficial. You cannot go hard seven days a week. Your body needs rest days. Preferably, active rest. What this means is that you do not just crash on the couch on your off days. You guessed it, go for a walk.

Still not on board yet? See if these are some excuses running through your mind:

Walking by myself is boring

Understandable. Walking with someone else does tend to make it seem like it goes quicker. So grab a friend or a family member. Or look for a walking group in your area. It is more common than you think. If you cannot find a group, start your own!

That is too far

I co-sponsor a walking group that goes between 3 and 4 miles. And when we tell people that, they crinkle their nose and say "That is too far!" Well let me tell you, we have a member that just turned 80 who is always the first one in the parking lot. We have others with health issues like diabetes, history of strokes, back problems. And they make it just fine. In fact, they feel better than when they started. Again, start slowly and go for a short distance to see how you do.

That is too early

My walking group meets at 8:30 am. We really wanted to get the folks that are retired or unemployed and get them out of the house. You would be surprised how many people say "That is too early!" Really? Look, I have never been a morning person, but 8:30 am is not a reach. And if you cannot make even a small sacrifice in order to improve your health, that is unfortunate.

The bottom line is that walking is beneficial for everyone. Give it a try and I think that you will find out just how good it can feel.

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