Let’s face it: many of us spend most of the day sitting at our desks. But no matter how much time your job takes, it’s important to make time for movement, whether that means walking around the block or getting up to stretch.
It’s no secret that sitting for too long isn’t good for you, and research confirms it. According to one studyYou are twice as likely to die early if you sit for more than 12 to 13 hours a day.
The good news? a New study She says you can reduce this risk by taking a five-minute walk every half hour. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
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Why walking is good for your health in the long run
This study shows that even small improvements in physical activity can have an impact on blood sugar and blood pressure, Dr. Yu Ming Ni, MDAnd explains a cardiologist at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. It is important to remember that small changes made over the years can have a lasting impact on health. A five-minute walk every hour of desk work may not seem like much, but this can build up over the course of the workday.
Over the course of an eight-hour workday, a five-minute walk every hour equates to 40 minutes of physical activity. Add a 15-minute walk during your lunch break, and you suddenly have nearly an hour of extra physical activity every workday. Dr. Ni adds that with these small changes, anyone can make a difference in their health, one walking break at a time.
Here are some reasons why walking can make a big difference:
Walking helps you lose weight
Because walking burns the same amount of calories as walking to run As long as you put more effort into walking, it helps you lose weight. John Gardner, Coach, Co-Founder and CEO Starting, he explains. In fact, if you go for 30 minutes of walking three times a week, you may end up losing not only weight but also belly fat.
Walking reduces the risk of diabetes
When you walk regularly, you help the muscles absorb blood sugar which helps reduce the risk of glucose building up in the bloodstream, says Gardner.
Walking can be done anywhere and is suitable for any fitness level
Because walking is easy on the joints and doesn’t take much fitnessYou can start walking, regardless of your fitness level. It requires no specific equipment and can be done anywhere, Gardner explains, making it an exercise suitable for all ages and fitness levels and a great way to get into shape.
How to get the most out of your walking workout
Gardner offers some advice:
Swing your arms
Not only does walking use your legs, but working out those arms really helps speed up your pace, and allows you to include your upper body in your workout as well. Make sure your arms are swinging opposite your leg, which means that you are swinging your right arm forward with your left leg and vice versa.
Use interval walking
The advantage of interval training is that it helps raise and lower your heart rate, which shocks your body and allows you to get better results from the same workout. This can be achieved with a walking workout by speeding up for 2 minutes and going at a slower pace for 30 seconds for the duration of the workout.
Add slopes to your route
Walking is often considered “easy” exercise – if it is considered exercise at all! – but it can actually be very difficult. In fact, every once in a while you should switch it up a bit and add more difficulties to help you achieve better results. Choose a route by mile or even add a mile on a Mobile treadmill Walking can make exercise more challenging by using different muscles and expending more energy. Just make sure you lean forward slightly when going up to reduce knee strain.
Combining different forms of walking exercises can help you get the most out of your exercise routine. Here’s an example for five days, provided by Gardner:
Day 1: Walk at a steady pace for 30 minutes at a speed that raises your heart rate slightly.
the second day: Try interval walking. Alternate between periods of brisk walking and slow walking to get the best results and help increase your endurance.
- Warm up with 5 minutes of walking
- For 20 minutes, alternate between 1 minute of vigorous walking and 1 minute of active rest with slow walking.
- Cooldown: 5 minutes of walking at a moderate pace.
Day 3: Resistance training
Add a mile to your walk. If you walk outdoors, find a steep uphill or incline route and alternate between walking uphill for 10 minutes and walking downhill for 5 minutes for 30 minutes. This will help build and strengthen muscles.
the fourth day: Walk at a steady pace for 30 minutes at a speed that raises your heart rate slightly.
Day 5: Try commas again:
- Warm up with 5 minutes of walking.
- For 20 minutes, alternate between 1 minute of vigorous walking and 1 minute of active rest with slow walking.
- Cooldown: 5 minutes of walking at a moderate pace.
Next: Here’s how many calories you actually burn walking a mile — plus ways to burn more
Sources
- Annals of Internal MedicinePatterns of sedentary behavior and mortality in middle-aged and older adults in the United States.
- Medicine and Science in Sports and ScienceDispersing prolonged sitting to improve cardiometabolic risk: a dose-response analysis of a randomized crossover trial.
- Yu Ming Ni, MDMD, cardiologist, non-invasive cardiology at Memorial Care Cardiovascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA
- John Gardner, Co-Founder and CEO Starting