Get Ready to Walk

Quick Win

Healthy habits start with a plan. Use today to set a schedule, plan a route and gather your walking gear.

Try This Today

• Decide when. What days and times work best for you this week? If you haven’t exercised in a while, start with three 10-minute walks. Put the walks on your calendar, and treat each one like an appointment you can’t miss. (But don’t forget to check in with your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen.)
• Where? Choose a route that’s practical and enjoyable, whether neighborhood sidewalks or a nearby park. Treadmills and walking tracks at gyms may be good indoor options for some.
• Gear up. Put your walking clothes and shoes where you can easily find them. Load an audiobook or playlist on your phone so you can listen while you walk. Set an alarm to let you know when it’s time to go. (No pressing “snooze”!)

Why

Starting — and committing to — a walking routine is a great way to support your overall health and lower your risk of chronic illness. Multiple studies, reviewed in a 2015 report in Preventive Medicine, suggest that walking regularly can help improve cardiovascular health. Walking for exercise can also have a positive effect on mental health, especially depression, as noted in a 2018 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Your bones may benefit too: In a study published in 2019 of more than 77,000 postmenopausal women taking part in the Women’s Health Initiative, those who were more physically active — and walking counted! — had a lower risk of hip fractures.