Unlock the Power of Walking: Turn Your Daily Stroll into a Cardio Workout
Walking is an incredible way to improve your overall health, but to reap the cardiovascular benefits, you need to push yourself to a moderate intensity level. So, what does that mean exactly?
The Many Faces of Walking
From the catwalk to the moonwalk, walking takes many forms. But for most of us, it’s a convenient way to get around while requiring minimal equipment and training. However, strolling from the bedroom to the living room won’t cut it if you’re looking for a cardio workout.
When Walking Becomes Legit Exercise
To turn walking into a cardio routine, you need to challenge your cardiovascular system enough to reach a moderate intensity level. This can be achieved by picking up the pace, adding an incline, or walking a longer distance. But how do you know if you’ve reached the right intensity?
The CDC’s Guidelines
According to the CDC, moderate intensity means you should be able to talk, but not quite sing. Alternatively, you can check your heart rate, which should be between 64% and 76% of your maximum heart rate.
Finding Your Moderate Intensity Heart Rate
To determine your moderate intensity heart rate, you’ll need to find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Then, calculate 64% and 76% of that number to get your target range.
Up the Ante: Increasing Walking Intensity
To take your walking to the next level, try adding an incline, picking up your pace, or walking a longer distance. The specific intensity you need to achieve will depend on your activity level, weight, and health history.
The Benefits of Walking
Walking is exercise, and it comes with a multitude of benefits. It improves general fitness, cardiac health, mood, and circulation, while reducing the risk of chronic diseases and improving posture.
Walking vs. Running
While running is an excellent workout, moderate intensity walking can provide similar benefits, including reducing the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.
The Bottom Line
To reap the rewards of walking, challenge yourself to increase your intensity to at least a moderate level. Whether you walk faster, pick a longer route, or hit the hills, moderate intensity walks are super beneficial for your body and mood. Plus, it’s fun, accessible, and can be done at any age!
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