How to Walk Yourself Fit?
When you plan to become fit, it becomes a compulsion to go to the gym, follow complex workout routines, or watch relevant videos on YouTube and do similar things.
But, you know, only walking for a few miles in a day can make you fit and into shape faster than you think! So here are some of the tips that can motivate you to walk a few miles every day.
Star Small Walk
Have you ever thought about why many people don’t reach their fitness goals? It’s because they start from too big and expect faster results rather than embracing the process. But, even when you walk, initially, you will have to walk a smaller distance.
You can get off the bus a stop earlier or walk to the station. You can take the stairs instead of an elevator or lift. Even a brisk walk of 15-20 minutes a day can benefit. Making a walking routine on your own without the help of the trainer is easy.
Measure Heart Rate
The key to being fit or getting in shape is to raise your heart rate. You can get a heart rate monitor like a smartwatch or a fitness tracker that is a portable and cost-effective alternative to large heart rate tracking machines.
This ensures that you are not just walking around to spend your leisure time but actually putting enough pressure on your body to enjoy the benefits of walking.
If you don’t have any tool or machine for monitoring your heart rate, then an amazing way to measure how hard you are walking is to have a conversation. If you are walking alone you can call your friend or relatives. If you can easily communicate, then you are not walking fast enough.
Practice Interval Walk
If you want to increase your heart rate and get yourself fit, then interval walking is one of the super effective ways to choose. In this type of walking, you have to walk faster for a while, slow down your speed, and then mix up the pace accordingly.
Here is the routine that you can follow for interval walking:
- First, walk for three minutes at your normal speed, which is relaxed.
- Then, increase your walking speed for 5 minutes.
- Next, slow down to a normal pace for 2 minutes.
- Again walk faster for the next 3 minutes.
- Then again slow down for the next 2 minutes.
You will notice that within 15 minutes you have walked a reasonable distance, managed your heart rate up and down, and started to move toward your fitness routine in the right direction.
You can create your own timings for changing the pace, as this would depend on the distance you have decided to walk.
Buy Walking Shoes
Your planning to start your walking routine will be short-timed if you are not properly equipped. That’s why you need to spend some time selecting good walking shoes that can make you feel comfortable while walking even a long distance.
Select the pair of shoes that fit your feet well, which means not too tight and not too loose. It should also make the walk comfortable even if the road contains obstacles.
Great walking shoes will be lightweight and water-resistant, allowing you to continue your walk routine in every weather.
Add Weight
Many people don’t know or might ignore that walking can actually help build muscle and boost your cardiovascular fitness.
Adding ankle or wrist weights not only helps to increase the cardio workout but can also help you in burning more calories. Over time, it can also make you leaner and help you gain more muscles.
If you don’t want to spend on buying weights, one of the best alternatives to weight is the backpack. You just have to fill the bag with a few things to make it a bit heavy so that you can take it along with you on the walk.
Mix Walking Routine
Mixing the walking routine and route is very important to make it exciting. You shouldn’t select the flat or straight road for walking as this can make you bored quickly and there won’t be any fitness improvements.
You can look for places that have elevated terrain to make your walk a little challenging and to keep your routine fresh. It will also help you move towards your fitness goals, make more muscles and work more on your body.
Hydration & Nutrition After Walk
One of the common things that most of us do when trying to improve health and fitness is eating junk food or grabbing a beer while returning from the gym or walking.
But, if you are spending time and effort on your fitness, then it is important to take a healthy and nutritious diet that can add value to your fitness journey. Also, as we sweat while performing physical activities, it is also important to keep our body hydrated. Therefore, you must drink water during and after your walk to refill the fluids.
You can even do some simple stretching exercises or have a quick yoga routine if you have enough time.
Walking To Be Fit
Walking is undoubtedly one of the best & easy ways to stay fit. It is suitable for people of every age. Also, it is helpful for obese people who don’t want to go to the gym. They can walk a few km daily and do a few stretching exercises.
It is one of the easy & fun ways to exercise. You don’t have to just walk as exercise. You can walk when you are out shopping, having a picnic with friends and family, and even exploring new places.
You must have the right motivation that can contribute to your fitness goals. It helps you to be on track and stick to your exercise routine. So, why wait for a long or the next day to begin this walking journey?
Start your journey now and choose today as the day to start your walking journey and become fit.