Measuring Health Benefits

The health benefits you gain through walking will depend on how much you weigh and how far and intense the walk is. You should aim to walk "briskly" so that your heart beats a bit faster, you breathe a bit harder and feel a bit warmer – for at least 30 minutes every day. Of course, the more you do, the greater the benefits. Below are some of the benefits of walking and how you can measure them.

Healthier heart and circulation

Measuring your pulse tells you how many times your heart beats in a minute. Find out what your resting heart rate is by counting the beats for one minute. You can then calculate the heart rate you should aim for while walking to improve your aerobic fitness by the following calculations:

maximum heart rate = 220 – age – resting heart rate

Your target heart rate is about 75% of your maximum heart rate.

After walking, monitor how long your heart rate takes to return to normal - the quicker it returns to normal, the fitter you are and the less stress your heart will be put under. Monitor this and watch it reduce over time.

Burning Calories and losing weight

The number of calories you burn while walking depends on your weight (heavier people will burn more calories) but not so much on your speed. People who walk or run faster than others will burn slightly more calories per mile, but generally it is the distance that counts most, so aim for longer walks at a moderate-brisk pace. For a 60kg person, a brisk one mile walk (around 15-20 mins) burns around 100 calories. That’s the same as swimming for 10 minutes, playing football for 12 minutes or doing aerobics for 16 minutes. Walking 10,000 steps per day should lead to a loss of 1lb of body weight per week.

You can work out how much you could burn with our easy to use calorie calculator.

Increased Stamina

Get a Pedometer and measure how many steps you take – as you get fitter, try to increase the amount of steps you make each day, or when out on a walk. You should aim for at least 10,000 steps per day for general fitness and controlled weight loss.

Alternatively, aim to gradually increase the amount of walking you do per week. If you currently walk to work once a week, try doing it twice a week. Get a rucksack and try doing some of your shopping on foot – carrying the shopping home will make you even fitter. If you make walking a part of your normal lifestyle, you are more likely to stick to it and get good results.

Increased Flexibility

Regular exercise will improve the flexibility of your joints and muscles. It will also help to increase bone density, making your bones stronger. To gain most benefits and prevent injuries, warm up and stretch before and after a walk.

General Wellbeing

As with any exercise, walking will boost your immune system and you may find you feel healthier because of this. It may also reduce the effects of anxiety, stress and depression and aid more restful sleep. You should soon be feeling healthier and happier with more energy!