Walking is simple, free, and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. You don't have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.
Before you start a walk: Any shoes or trainers that are comfortable, provide adequate support and don't cause blisters will do. Carry some water, healthy snacks, and don’t forget sunscreen and a sunhat in the summer months. If you're walking to work, you could wear your usual work clothes with a comfy pair of shoes and change shoes when you get into work.
If you're not very active but are able to walk, increase your walking distance gradually.
How do I know if I'm walking fast enough?
A brisk walk is about 3 miles an hour, which is faster than a stroll. One way to tell if you're walking briskly is if you can still talk but can't sing the words to a song.
There are a number of apps you can get or personal fitness devices that will tell you if you are walking fast enough and how many steps you are doing.
The recommended number of total steps a day is 10,000.
Walking at work
We have developed a series of walking routes from each workplace that you could do in your lunch break or after work, for example. Why not get a few colleagues to walk with you too?
Walking groups
If you like walking with company there are a number of formal walking groups you could join, or even train as a Walk Leader.
Walking routes
There are lots of mapped walking routes in the Test Valley area which give ideas for where to get out and about. A few examples detailed below:
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