What happens to your body when you walk every day

Establishing a regular walking habit is good for the mind, body and spirit. Whether you “walk and talk” with loved ones on the phone or have a walking buddy, lacing up your shoes and hitting your favorite trail or walkway is a great way to add extra steps to your day and stay social. Plus, if you have access to a treadmill, it’s a healthy habit you can maintain no matter the time of year or the weather outside. The benefits of walking are many, so listen up; We talked to personal trainers who break down exactly what happens to your body when you walk every day.

Engaging in this low-impact, low-intensity cardio is something you can easily work into your daily routine. “It doesn’t produce as big a stress response in the body as high-intensity exercise options like HIIT or running, especially for those new to fitness,” explains. Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, sports nutrition coach and functional training specialist. “Also, walking is a low-cost activity: all you need is comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. It’s very accessible as far as exercise goes, and if you live somewhere with safe walkways, you don’t need to invest in any equipment. No. Or buy a gym membership.”

Walking is also less strenuous, so you can up the total amount of weekly exercise you complete in a way that works with other exercises, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Now let’s see what happens to your body when you walk every day.

You will burn more calories.

Research shows that walking can burn more calories than jogging. Science says that making small changes to your daily routine, such as walking to your errands or to work, can help with your weight loss efforts.

“Walking burns calories,” explains Domenic Angelino, CPT and editor of the International Personal Training Academy (NPTA). “All other aspects of your exercise routine and lifestyle being equal, if you add walking to your routine, you will burn more calories than you would otherwise.”

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You lose body fat.

Seeing as walking is a great calorie burner, it is also effective in reducing body fat.

“[Walking will] has a direct effect on your body fat,” says Angelino. “The exact effect depends on how many calories you eat each week and how many calories you burn overall. It can slow down how quickly you gain fat, or increase how quickly you lose fat. Both of these can help improve your health and have a meaningful impact on your body.

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You will increase the endurance of your calves.

Walking works many different muscles, including the calves.

“The chicks are the most involved in supporting the process,” Angelino tells us. “Frequent walks can help increase your calves’ endurance, especially if you don’t normally move around much in your day anyway.”

You may experience low blood pressure.

Daily walking can improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure. Studies show that high blood pressure contributes to heart disease and your level of physical activity plays a major role in this. Adding walking to your routine can help you seamlessly take the right steps to lower blood pressure.

“Lower blood pressure is beneficial because it means you’re less likely to develop dangerous heart conditions, such as having a heart attack,” Angelino explains. “You can increase the effectiveness of walking to lower your blood pressure by intentionally walking at a faster pace.”

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You will improve bone density.

When you think about improving bone density, your mind probably turns to resistance training. However, walking helps too!6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

“[Walking is] “It’s still a form of weight-bearing exercise (moving your body weight), so it has a positive effect on bone health,” says Capritto.

And research proves this. According to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, healthy postmenopausal women who walked about 1 mile daily had greater whole-body bone density compared to women who completed a shorter distance. The research determined that walking is extremely effective in helping individuals reduce the rate of bone loss in the legs and preserve skeletal integrity.

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You will improve the endurance of your posture muscles.

If you don’t get enough movement during your workday, regular walking can improve the endurance of your postural muscles.

“When you stand up straight and walk, you’re unconsciously using the muscles in your body to support your posture,” Angelino explains. “That’s how people are able to keep their torso upright and their limbs in certain postures as they go about their day. The stress of walking on the postural muscles isn’t particularly high, but it’s much higher than sitting.”

Alexa Melardo