Establishing a regular walking routine benefits the mind, body, and soul. Putting on your sneakers and exploring your favorite trails or walking routes is an excellent way to increase your daily steps and stay social. Whether you engage in "walk and talks" on the phone with loved ones or walk with a buddy, it's a great way to connect. If you have access to a treadmill, you can keep up this healthy habit year-round, regardless of the weather. The benefits of walking are numerous, so pay attention; we spoke with personal trainers who explained what happens to your body when you walk every day.
Incorporating this low-impact, low-intensity form of cardio into your daily routine is straightforward. "Walking doesn't produce a large stress response in the body like higher-intensity exercise options, such as HIIT or running, can, especially for those new to fitness," explains Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, sports nutrition coach, and functional training specialist. "Additionally, walking is a low-cost activity: All you need is comfortable clothing and good walking shoes. It's highly accessible as far as exercise goes, and if you live in an area with safe walking routes, there's no need to invest in equipment or a gym membership."
Walking isn't overly fatiguing, making it a great complement to other forms of exercise, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This allows you to increase your total weekly exercise in a balanced way.
Now, let's delve into what happens to your body when you walk every day.
You'll burn more calories.
Research indicates that walking can burn more calories than jogging. Additionally, incorporating small changes into your daily routine, such as walking to run errands or commute to work, can support your weight-loss efforts.
"Walking burns calories," says Domenic Angelino, CPT, and author from the International Personal Trainer Academy (NPTA). "If you keep all other aspects of your exercise routine and lifestyle the same and simply add walking, you'll burn more calories overall than you would without it."
You'll reduce body fat.
Since walking is an effective way to burn calories, it's also a great method for reducing body fat.
"Walking will directly impact the fat in your body," says Angelino. "The specific effect depends on your weekly caloric intake and the total calories you burn. It can either slow down the rate at which you're gaining fat or speed up the rate at which you're losing fat. Both outcomes can improve your health and have a significant impact on your body."
You'll increase the endurance of your calves.
Walking puts a variety of muscles to work, including the calves.
"The calves are the ones most involved in supporting this process," Angelino tells us. "Walking very frequently can help increase the endurance of your calves, especially if you normally don't move around much in your day anyway."
You may experience lower blood pressure.
Walking daily can enhance cardiovascular health by helping to lower blood pressure. Studies have shown that hypertension is a risk factor for heart disease, and physical activity plays a significant role in managing it. Incorporating walking into your routine can be an easy and effective way to help lower your blood pressure.
"Lowering your blood pressure reduces the risk of serious heart issues, such as heart attacks," explains Angelino. "You can increase the impact of walking on your blood pressure by deliberately walking at a faster pace."
You'll improve bone density.
When you think about improving bone density, resistance training might be the first thing that comes to mind. However, walking can also be beneficial!
"Walking is a weight-bearing exercise since you're moving your own body weight, which positively affects bone health," says Capritto.
Research supports this. A study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that healthy postmenopausal women who walked about one mile daily had greater whole-body bone density compared to those who walked shorter distances. The study concluded that walking is highly effective in slowing down bone loss in the legs and helping maintain overall skeletal integrity.
You'll improve the endurance of your postural muscles.
If you don't get much movement during your workday, walking regularly can help improve the endurance of your postural muscles.
"When you stand upright and walk, your body subconsciously engages muscles to maintain your posture," Angelino explains. "This is how humans keep their torsos upright and limbs in certain positions throughout the day. While the stress that walking places on postural muscles isn't very intense, it's still significantly greater than what you'd experience while sitting."