Walking for Health: Build the Habit

Walking is the easiest exercise to start and the easiest to keep. It costs nothing and you already know how to do it. The only thing most people get wrong is the pace.

What counts as a brisk walk?

The NHS describes a brisk walk as about 3 miles an hour, which is faster than a stroll. The simplest test is your breath: you are going at the right pace if you can still talk but cannot sing the words to a song. If you are chatting comfortably and could easily burst into song, speed up a little.

How much walking is enough?

The NHS says a brisk 10-minute daily walk has many health benefits and counts towards the 150 minutes of weekly exercise recommended for adults aged 19 to 64. That is a small starting point, and a real one.

Mayo Clinic notes that guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week for most healthy adults, and advises starting with just a few minutes a day, then increasing gradually as your fitness improves.

What does walking do for you?

The NHS says brisk walking helps you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. Mayo Clinic adds that it can help you manage your weight, improve fitness, strengthen bones and muscles, improve mood and sleep, reduce stress, and help prevent or manage conditions including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, several cancers and type 2 diabetes.

How do you walk well?

Mayo Clinic gives simple form advice that makes walking more comfortable over longer distances:

• Keep your head up and look forward, not down at your feet
• Swing your arms freely with a slight bend at the elbows
• Walk smoothly, rolling each foot from heel to toe
• Keep your back straight and gently tighten your abdominal muscles

Mayo Clinic also advises walking slowly for the first few minutes to warm your muscles up, then slowing down for a few minutes at the end to cool down, followed by gentle stretching to improve flexibility.

What should you wear?

The NHS keeps this simple: for everyday walking, any shoes or trainers that are comfortable, give enough support and do not cause blisters will do. Specialist walking shoes and a waterproof jacket only become worth it on longer or harder routes.

How do you make it a habit that lasts?

The NHS advice is to build walking into your daily routine rather than treating it as a separate task. Practical ways to do that include:

• Walk to work, to the shops or to the market instead of driving or taking a rickshaw
• Take the stairs instead of the lift
• Walk children to school
• Arrange regular walks with friends
• Take a family walk after dinner

Mayo Clinic suggests keeping motivation up by walking with friends, trying new routes, varying the terrain and joining a walking group. Its best advice is for the week it all falls apart: if you miss days, do not give up, just pick the routine back up when you can.

In hot weather, walk in the early morning or after sunset, carry water and stay in the shade. Where traffic is heavy or footpaths are poor, a quiet street, a park or a safe indoor space works just as well.

When to see a doctor

Talk to your doctor before starting or increasing a walking programme if you have a heart condition, chest pain on exertion, high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems, joint or back trouble, balance problems, or if you are pregnant or recovering from illness. MedlinePlus advises checking with your health care provider first, especially if you have trouble moving or balancing.

Stop walking and seek help right away if you get chest pain or pressure, dizziness, feel faint, or become extremely short of breath. Also see a doctor for leg pain or swelling that does not settle with rest, repeated falls, or pain that worsens with each walk.

If chest pain does not settle, or comes with sweating, breathlessness or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back, treat it as an emergency: call Rescue 1122 where available, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.