#WalkEveryDamnDay

You may have seen my campaign on Instagram, challenging people to share walking stories with the hashtag #WalkEveryDamnDay. And, when I’m also tagged in a story, I share it in my own stories to keep the motivation going. Over the past couple months, I’ve shared dozens of my followers’ walking stories each week.

Why am I trying to motivate EVERYONE to walk EVERY DAY?

Because walking is one of the easiest, most accessible yet underrated, fat-burning, corrective, mind-body exercises available to human beings.

Almost every day of the last 11 years, I take a 1.5-mile walk (20-25 minutes) around my neighborhood. When I’m not home, I take at least a 10-minute walk wherever I am. Occasionally, weather or work obligations force me to walk inside around a conference center, mall or up and down the halls and stairs in my hotel.

No excuses—I always make an effort to get in my walk.

From a fat-burning perspective, walking at a moderate pace can be very effective.

This is especially true when in a fasted state (not having eaten in a few hours). When your stomach is empty and insulin levels are low, your body relies on fat as its primary energy source. For more on my thoughts about fat loss, check out the interview I did for Muscle and Strength’s “38 Women Fitness Experts Share Tips on Fat Loss” article (tip #9).

Walking’s not only a great form of physical fitness but can also serve as a powerful “corrective” exercise when honored as the complex-yet-fundamental movement pattern that it is. That’s why walking is a primary exercise in the “Maintenance and Prevention” chapter of my book Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief.

And in terms of mind-body benefits, when you take your walks disconnected from technology, it not only gives your mind a much needed tech break, it can become meditation in motion. This is especially true when you’re able to walk outside in nature with fewer distractions from traffic and people.

Of course, for time efficiency, it’s not always feasible to disconnect, so it’s also a great time to catch up on audio books, podcasts and phone calls. Even better than phone calls, walking meetings offer the benefits of walking to both parties.

Walking with family and friends (both the two-legged and four-legged variety) offers a fantastic means of quality time together. In addition to taking regular walks with my husband, kids and dogs, I often ask friends I haven’t seen in awhile to meet for walks, so we can catch up.

WALKING BENEFITS:

Fat-Burning Exercise
Chance to Disconnect from Technology and Reconnect with Nature
Mindfulness Meditation in Motion
Catching up on Phone Podcasts, Audio Books or Phone Calls
Spend time talking with a friend or colleague with “walking meetings”
Vitamin D
Corrective Exercise/Movement Pattern for Decreasing Pain & Improving Posture
Quality Couple/Family/Pet Bonding Time

⚠IMPORTANT CAUTIONS:

Dress appropriately to avoid overheating, too much sun exposure.
Stay hydrated.
Wear Sunscreen.
Only wear one earbud if listening to podcasts, music, talking on the phone, etc.
Carry pepper spray (unfortunate reality).

If you walk daily or are inspired to do so now, let me know! Remember, if you post an Instagram story video of you on your walk, tag me @MobilityMaker so I can share your effort with my following. You’ll inspire others to walk…and maybe even get a few more followers.