WALK IT OFF

If you want to shift a few pounds, or generally get a bit healthier, here’s why upping your step count is the best place to start 

- Charlie Allenby

May is National Walking Month, and though it might sound simplistic, stepping to it is one of the most accessible and easy ways to get in shape and kick-start your fitness journey. But while we all know about getting the recommended 10,000 steps a day, it’s rarely explained why that’s a guideline.

“Any exercise that increases your heart rate is good for weight loss, but walking is so easy because you don’t need loads of kit – you can just go out your front door and walk around the block a few times,” says the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health’s Dr Ian Beasley.

He adds that walking is low impact – “you are very unlikely to get injured,” and it doesn’t have the socio-psychological barriers that can come with other cardiovascular exercises, such as running or swimming. “If you think you don’t look good in running kit, that doesn’t really matter because you’re just walking – it’s what everyone does.”

It’s also a good gateway form of exercise for those who haven’t been active for a while and are concerned about pushing themselves too hard, too fast. “When people get out of breath and it hurts a bit, they get scared,” explains Beasley. “Walking is good, because you don’t have to go mad with your heart rate.”

HOW TO DO 12-3-30

• Set a treadmill to an incline of 12 and speed of at least 3mph.

• Now simply walk like this for 30 minutes.

• Avoid holding onto the handrails – this will reduce your energy expenditure.