The Bottom Line:
- New research finds a way to maximize the health benefits of your daily walk and it couldn’t be easier.
- Instead of going faster or further, it’s actually better to go slower, by taking breaks then starting up again, according to the study.
- It finds that our bodies work kind of like cars, they burn more energy while getting up to speed, so the walks that include pauses burn more energy and have a bigger impact on health and fitness.
- Source: Inc.
The Full Story:
Walking is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to exercise, but new research has found a way to boost the health benefits and it couldn’t be simpler. It turns out, to get the most out of your daily walk, you don’t have to go further or faster, you just need to stop and smell the roses more.
According to a new study, our bodies work kind of like cars. You really have to step on the gas to get your car up to speed, but that burns more fuel and the same is true of our bodies. We burn more energy, 20 to 60% more, while we’re accelerating, but once we reach a steady speed, we burn less fuel, just like cars.
The research finds that the walks that burn the most energy, and have the biggest impact on fitness and health, aren’t the ones where people go as fast as they can for miles. Instead, it’s the walks when people pause, take a breather and then start back up again that help you maximize the benefits. So, you don’t have to count steps or sweat your way up steep inclines, the stop-start approach is all it takes to make those walks a little better for you.
Source: Inc.