As the new year begins, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by unrealistic fitness goals and trends. But you don’t have to follow these fads.
Research shows that even a short walk — one of the most accessible forms of exercise — can help set you up for success as you work toward other fitness achievements .
Studies show that 11 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day may reduce your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or premature death . Does this seem like a lot to start with?
Same just five minutes of walking a day can provide some health benefits according to Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.
Just getting started
Freeman recommends aiming 30 minutes of exercise daily ideally brisk walking combined with weight lifting to create a high-intensity training program. But he said he knows a structured workout of this length isn’t always feasible, especially for those in the early stages of their fitness journey.
The key is to make movement a regular part of your day which is why Freeman suggests people do any type of exercise, even if it’s incorporating a five-minute walk into your routine.
Katy Milkman, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explains that setting small goals is essential to building momentum for bigger resolutions. Psychologically, smaller tasks are easier to achieve, so pushing yourself to take a daily five-minute walk is easier than trying to complete a 35-minute walk once, he said.
Even with a five-minute walk, the most important part of any fitness goal, according to Freeman, is finding time to work it into your daily routine, which is why it’s important to start small and focus on simplicity.
For some, doing this can be as basic as parking further away when going to the gym or shopping mall to increase your step count. If you’re in a garage, it might also be a good idea to climb stairs to get your heart rate up, Freeman said.
When making plans, the fitness associate at CNN Dana Santas, certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, suggests asking friends to go for a walk instead of meeting for dinner or drinks.
Freeman also recommends completing your brisk walk — or any form of exercise that brings you joy — first thing in the morning to start your day with positive movement.
For coffee lovers, Freeman said that a walk can energize you just as effectively as a cup of your favorite drink .
Walking isn’t just good for your body; It’s also great for your mental well-being. Not only can it help break addictions like smoking, Freeman said, but a walk can also help reduce anxiety and depression, especially for people who may be dealing with grief.
Building a routine
As confidence in your walking routine increases, you should try increasing the intensity and duration of your workout. Freeman suggests focusing on exercises that make you “huff and puff” for the most noticeable health benefits.
“You see these people (at the gym) doing some reps, talking, resting and having a drink,” Freeman said. “You really want to keep going for 20 or 30 minutes straight.”
Combining weight training and cardio is a beneficial way to include both elements into your daily routine. Based on how the activities work different parts of your body, Freeman said he likes to explain the cardio as a short-term investment in your health, while weight training is a long-term investment due to how metabolically active people’s muscles are.
To include weight training in your hiking, Freeman recommends eventually adding a weighted backpack to your routine. If you want to keep it simple, use any backpack you have at home and fill it with old books to carry it around. Other ideas might include using weights on your wrists, arms, shoulders, ankles, or legs to build resistance for an additional challenge.
“If [as pessoas] can maintain this [rotina] for usually two to three weeks, it becomes a habit [que elas] they want to keep doing it,” Freeman said.
Like any other form of exercise, taking time to practice and perfect your walking form can improve the safety and effectiveness of your workouts, according to Santas, and is a simple way to challenge yourself.
For people who want to incorporate longer walks into their daily or weekly routine, Freeman recommends walking with others to make the experience more enjoyable.
Solo exercisers can find personal motivation with an engaging podcast or audiobook as well as a guided meditation to make their walks feel effortless.
“If you really got into a story… you could probably walk through an entire park, end up right where you started and not even know you did it,” Freeman said.
It’s important to remember that the smaller the commitment, the more likely you are to follow through, Milkman said. As you add more to your routine, start slow and think about where you might be able to squeeze some quick but beneficial movements into your practice.
For those just starting to incorporate more exercise into their routine, it’s all about sitting less and moving more.
This content was originally published in Walking just 5 minutes a day makes a difference, says expert on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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