Types of Walking Exercises for Improving Health and Fitness

At The Institute for Weight Management and Wellness, walking is an excellent way to improve your health and fitness. From brisk walking to power walking, each type of walking exercise offers unique benefits for your cardiovascular health, weight management, and overall well-being. Contact us today or book an appointment online for personalized care that works for you. Conveniently located at 150 Overlook Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601, we proudly serve clients from Ridgewood NJ, Tenafly NJ, Glen Rock NJ, Paramus NJ, Oradell NJ, River Edge NJ, Upper Saddle River, Wyckoff NJ and surrounding areas.

We all know how to walk—one foot in front of the other, etc. It’s a simple, relaxing and effective way to exercise. During medical weight loss programs, walking is a great way to stay in shape and continue to work towards your weight loss goals. But following the same walking routine day after day can be boring. Sure, you can try different routes, but then what? Try mixing it up! There are different types of walking and various activities you can include to help keep your exercise routine fresh and fun.

Different Types of Walking for Exercise

• Lifestyle walking. This is what you’ve probably been doing. This is your basic leisurely walk where you can take your time and move at your own pace.
• Fitness walking. This is meant to get your heart pumping. You’re not quite jogging, but you’re briskly walking with a more accelerated pace.
• Power walking. This is a step up from fitness walking. You’re picking up the pace and taking shorter steps. Try adding small hand weights.
• Ski walking. This is also called Nordic walking and requires that you walk with ski poles and take long strides.
• Geocaching. Geocaching is when you use a GPS to find an item or a “geocache” that someone has hidden. By adding this into your walking routine you will deviate from your usual path and have fun searching.
• Walking groups. Some people prefer to have company during their walking routine. Joining a local walking group gives you an opportunity to meet new people while keeping up with your daily exercise.
• Online walking programs. Different websites and apps offer different programs centered on walking and fitness. The Webwalking USA walking program lets you track your distance as if you were walking across America. Another program tracks your distance as if you had to walk across the UK to defuse a bomb.

Find a walking routine that works for you and stick to it. Don’t be embarrassed to try something different. During your medical weight loss program, you want to make sure that you are keeping up with enough physical activity to continue to work towards your weight loss goals. And you can do that just by walking. You can get creative and inventive without doing anything too strenuous. Work at your own pace and find a routine that best works for you and your weight loss and lifestyle goals.