If you are in a bad mood go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood go for another walk. — Hippocrates
I believe in developing little habits and sticking to them to live a healthy life. This year, my goal is to complete as many 30-day challenges as possible.
Before jumping on the walking results, I would like to share a couple of crucial points to consider: why you should start a walking routine.
Why is a 21.43-minute walking routine crucial to living a healthy life?
According to National Health Statistics, only 23% of people do daily minimum exercise requirements in America.
The notion is to hit the National Health criteria to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week to live a healthy life.
Let’s divide the 150-minute moderate exercise standard into seven small chunks, bringing us to 21.43 minutes of exercise each day.
Physical activity guidelines for adults (18–64)
At least 150 minutes, Moderate-intensity
At least 75 minutes, Vigorous-intensity
Note:
Only 22.9 percent of adults across the USA fulfill this required weekly exercise criteria.
What is the average walking speed of a healthy adult?
Walking speed is directly correlated to your age; naturally, it decreases as you get older. On average, men walk faster than women in their 20s but stay pretty consistent until they hit 60. After that, walking speed starts decreasing gradually.
An adult can walk 3–4 miles per hour on average. However, there are many factors involved, such as fitness level, overall health, age, etc.
Did I fail?
No, I walked for at least 21 minutes every day.
There are a few reasons why I didn’t skip a single day of walking. I am an avid hiker who has completed several 10-mile hikes in the last few years. Hiking is one of the most beneficial activities I’ve developed to boost my mental health.
If I’m feeling low, stuck in a project, or overwhelmed by distractions, I literally go for a walk. It’s my go-to treatment for practically anything.
Because of my sedentary job, I also stretch after each walk. I basically sit in front of a computer for 8 hours for my 9–5 job and another 4 hours for side hustles like Medium blogging.
Do you need gear?
Yes, you do need to buy a great pair of walking shoes.
Suppose you are not enjoying a walk; it’s almost impossible to make it a habit. I am a huge fan of Columbian (amazon affiliate link) shoes for walking, hiking, or even running, and my wife uses this one.
Why did I track the time?
I literally wanted to do at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to be a part of the top 23%. As I mentioned, 77% of American adults don’t even do the recommended physical activity.
I always strive to be a part of the top bucket regardless of personal or professional life.
How did I track the time?
I am a huge fan of Apple products, and almost everything is Apple. Everyone has their opinion, but I can depend on the product. Being a productivity enthusiast, I love to be part of the ecosystem to reduce friction across platforms.
I tracked my walking routine on the Apple watch, which is already synced with other Apple products. I am sure other products can do the same task, but it is easy. Simply touch the button and start walking!
30-day walking challenge track chart
On average, I walked (outdoor) 118563 steps in 30 days, excluding other activities (gym, office, grocery, etc.):
25.11 minutes daily
1.5 miles or 2.49 km
Calories burn: 200+ each day
Average heart rate: 107 BPM
These are the Walking results after 35 days
Walking has always been my main source of cardio, and except for when I was pregnant, I’ve been the same weight my entire life! — Denise Austin
- Walking is not new to me. I walk a lot, but sometimes I miss a couple of days and then go for a long hike — however, this time, I planned to go for a walk without missing a single day.
- Study shows that merely a 10-minute walk can help to boost your mood. I added 10 more to hit the national exercise required to make it at least 150 minutes at the end of the week.
- Walking is great for lowering your blood sugar level. According to the American Diabetes Association, daily walking helps decrease blood sugar and mitigate diabetes risk.
- Daily walking is a great exercise to burn more calories to stay under a healthy weight and also help to strengthen the cardiorespiratory system.
- Walking is a great brain booster.
- I deliberately go for a walk or take a long shower if I get stuck in a problem. No matter how complex the task is the task, these two habits always help me bring more ideas to the table to handle complex projects.
- As you can see, I did 70% after supper (evening walks); I believe walking after dinner helps me to improve my sleep quality. Walking is also directly related to boosting melatonin’s effects (sleep hormone).
Digestive system remedy (anecdotal)
I grew up in a small village far from city life, 99% farmers.
I remember the village Hakeem (wise/intelligent man) used to say to go for 5–10 km walk every day, and if you still have a digestive problem, we will take you to the city hospital.
After doing a 3+ mile walk every day, I never saw an adult (20–60 years old) ever complain about digestive issues.
I never saw my grandma overweight
She walked at least 3–5 miles each day, and I never saw her overweight.
My grandma used to say that as long as you give your all with honesty, even if you fail, you don’t need to regret it. She hated the word ‘wish.’ I wish I had done this/that. I have never met someone more hardworking than my grandma in my life.
What is the best time to go for a walk?
Well, this is highly debatable; some individuals prefer to walk in the morning, some in the afternoon, and many choose to stroll after dinner. My strategy is very different. I’m happy as long as I finish the 21+ minute walk, regardless of the timing.
However, 73% of the time, I walked after supper time. Or I would say on weekdays, I walked at suppertime. For the rest, 27%, I walked on the weekends a bit far from home, pretty much a hike or 1-hour walk with my partner.
As long as you are doing it for at least 21 minutes each day, you are in the 23% to live a long, happy, and healthy life.
The bottom line
Walking is one of the best exercises to incorporate into your daily routine to live a long, happy, healthy life. Walking has endless health benefits.
If you want to improve your physical and mental health, I strongly recommend going for a walk every day like your life is at stake.
Ask your friends and family to go for a walk to boost brainpower and heart health!
