There are many advantages to Walking, such as a lower risk of heart disease, better metabolism and lower cholesterol levels and improved mood, but correctly determining how much time to walk each day is a different matter.

In reality, the level of dedication you have to making it a habit matters a lot, just like with anything else.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Shelby Johnson says that “Walking is a really accessible activity for people to begin or continue and definitely contributes to a healthy lifestyle.”

But the good news is that it’s all worth it!

Here are some reasons why you should prioritize walking, including making distance calculations and scheduling the activity into your daily schedule.

On average, an American walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps per day while going about their daily lives, which is roughly equivalent to 1.5 to 2 miles.

It has been demonstrated that just that sum can reduce one’s mortality risk.

At the same time, however, the CDC’s advice says that Americans should increase their daily walks by at least double or even triple that amount.

The experts mention that most adults should aim for 10,000 daily steps, or roughly 5 miles. The 10,000-step recommendation is referred to as “the ‘magic pill’ everyone is seeking” by the University of Kansas KU Medical Center when it comes to improved health. 

You can also measure your efforts in terms of the time you spend walking if monitoring the distance or steps you walk is not your style.

Psychotherapist Austin “Ozzie” Gontang explained that “As a walker, you should aim for at least thirty minutes every day, or a total of 150 minutes every week. The distance that you cover during that time depends anyway on factors like your walking speed and the terrain,” he says.

Johnson goes on to add that being consistent about walking every day “improves cardiovascular health, strengthens your bones and muscles and can also help maintain or obtain a healthy weight.”

Director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation division at Stanford University, Michael Fredericson, stressed that if your schedule or energy levels do not allow you to walk at least 30 minutes every single day all at once, “breaking it up into 3 short, 10 minute sessions will give you all the same health benefits.”

Additionally, keep in mind that getting more steps in can be done in inventive ways other than by setting aside time for walking.

It’s simple to incorporate walking into one’s daily routine by doing things such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator, parking farther away from the store entrance when shopping, getting off the bus or train early to walk some of the way home, or helping your neighbor walk the dog around the block.

Gontang concluded that “The best exercise is the one you do. Studies have shown that brisk walking can be just as effective as running in reducing your risk of heart disease and improving overall levels of fitness.”

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