5 Ways to Build a Daily Walking Habit That Actually Sticks

Are you ready to start walking every day for fitness, health, and weight management? Use these strategies to get the most from walking and make it a daily habit.

1. Make a Workout Plan to Build Time Walking

Make a workout plan so you can steadily increase your pace and time spent walking over the course of several weeks. Work your way up to at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity brisk walking per week, preferably walking most days of the week for at least 30 minutes at a time.

For example:

• You might start with just 10 minutes of walking at an easy pace for four days a week.
• Once you find that easy to achieve, work on increasing your time each session and the number of days you walk each week.
• Once you are able to walk for longer, work on increasing your pace so you are breathing harder than usual but can speak in full sentences—though still not be able to sing (a definition of moderate-intensity).

2. Choose the Best Time to Walk

The best time to walk depends on both personal preference and your goals:

• Morning walks are good for weight management, fat burning, and improving alertness and sleep.
• Mid-day and afternoon walks help break up sitting time, balance blood sugar levels by walking after a meal, and improve mood.
• Evening walks can help reduce stress and improve mood.
• Opt for any time that fits well in your schedule, so you can stick with it.

3. Set a Step Goal, Such as 10,000 Steps per Day

A step goal of 10,000 steps per day can be very motivating. It is OK to set your goal lower, especially as you are getting started, as long as it takes some dedicated walking time to achieve it. Setting a step goal can help push you to make time for your daily walk and reach your target.

4. Aim to Walk After Eating

Walking after eating, even for 10 or 15 minutes, has benefits that include:

• Reduces bloating and relieves gas
• Helps regulate blood sugar
• Breaks up sedentary time (time spent seated or inactive)

5. Pick up the Pace

By learning to walk faster, you can cover more distance and burn more calories in the same workout time. Walking faster also increases the intensity of your workout, keeping you in the moderate-intensity zone.

Ways to build speed include:

• Use good, upright posture.
• Strike with your heel and roll through the step, pushing off with your toe.
• Use arm motion, with elbows bent and kept near your sides when swinging forward and back in opposition to your foot position.
• Do interval walking workouts, alternating between walking at an easy pace and walking fast for a few minutes at a time.