Never workout out before but you would like to stay active?

If your is YES, you are on the right place. Walking can be a great workout for someone who has never exercised before or haven’t workout in a long time. The more you walk during the day the better. Every step counts so if you can’t walk for a long time, a little bit of walk helps. Click here to learn different ways you can get extra steps. Walking with family members or friends can turn exercising into a fun social event. Always find a walking buddy to make it fun and to help you stay motivated.

Before we dive deeper on how walking can help you improve your overall health, let’s first discuss things to consider on your journey. You will need right shoes, outfit, pick a good time depending on the season of the year and mobile app or an alternative way to track your steps.

Shoes

Good walking shoes have similar feature like any other multisport shoes, trail-running shoes, running shoes or light hiking shoes. You may use running shoes for walking because they have similar design characteristics. You might need customized walking shoe if your foot type is unique but most of these shoes have built in motion control and a nice cushioning. You really don’t need an expensive shoe or a certain brand to have a great workout. You only need to choose a comfortable shoe which is not too tight or too big, light weight and well padded.

Clothes

 Check the weather before choosing clothes to wear. The right outfit should be very comfy. It should not be neither too tight nor too lose but that fit you perfectly. Keep in mind that you might sweat so make sure the outfit is breathable.

Time

Scheduling time will make you get your daily walk regardless of your busy schedule. Schedule time to walk just like the way you schedule your other daily task. Time can vary depending on the weather or season of the year. Incorporate your walking schedule with your other task so that if becomes part of your lifestyle. Setting time aside for a walk will help you to be consistence with your workout. Consistency is the key to success on everything you do in life.

Steps & Mileage Tracker

To keep yourself motivated you may need a tracking device that measures your steps accurately, calculates distance covered and calories burned. There are so many devices that are easy to use and budget friendly price. Some device stores data over a period of time to review the history and some can connect to your smart phone GPS to track the real time distance and streets. There are also plenty of mobile apps can be downloaded and installed into your phone. You don’t have to carry extra device. Don’t hesitate to shoot me an email if you need recommendation on what device to purchase or which mobile app to use.

Once you have all the things mentioned above i.e. right pair of shoes, comfy outfit, steps tracker and workout schedule, it’s now time to grind. I believe in small accomplishment and progress until I reach my desired goal. I would recommend that you start with a short distance and work your way up to accomplish your final goal. The most important thing is to listen to your body and evaluate if it can handle your new fitness journey and try to work up to more steps gradually depending on your body response. Please consult your doctor first if you never worked out in a long time or you never worked out before.

Research shows that the average recommended goal is 10,000 steps. Understand that every person is different, and you may need to walk over 10,000 steps or under depending on their health status or age. There is no magic number. 10,000 steps is roughly equivalent to 5 miles (for the average stride). I would recommend you aim for 1000 steps and then try to add 1000 steps or more up to 10000 steps in the course of your daily activities.

At this point, you don’t want to track down how long it will take you to complete your workout. The goal here is to cover your projected steps at a comfortable pace and to make sure you stay on top of your daily workout goal. The more efforts you put the faster you will see the results. Believe me, you will feel better, happier and healthier.  It starts with a SINGLE step.