Why Walking is Good For You & How to Make it Fun -

Walking: the vanilla activity of the exercise world. As physical activities go, it’s a bit meh, isn’t it? When my kids tell me they’re ‘bored’, I know I need to suit up in riot gear before suggesting heading out for a walk. Walking doesn’t stoke the fires, does it?

Recently, walking has become a pivotal part of my recovery from Long Covid. If I want to continue to get better, it’s something that I have to do daily. Although that’s great motivation to establish the habit, it hasn’t made walking any more fun.

The thing is, I realised I needed to give myself an attitude check because I’m entirely undervaluing how good walking is for us. And that’s before I give it credit for being free, accessible and a lot less exhaustive than many other forms of cardio (running, I’m looking at you.)

The more I’ve looked into the benefits of walking, the more I understood how my mindset was askew. Instead of thinking, ‘walking? eye roll, massive yawn’ I should have been saying, ‘Walking, yes please, bring on all that walking goodness!’ Trust me, there is lots of good to come from a brisk walk around the block. Let me share with you why.

Why Walking Is Good For You…

Walking provides a ton of great benefits for the body and mind. It benefits our cardiovascular system, reduces our risk of stroke, burns calories, and builds stamina. Walking places less stress on our joints, boosts our circulation and improves our posture.

In terms of mental well-being, Psychologists found that a 10-minute walk may be just as good as a 45-minute workout when it comes to relieving anxiety symptoms. That’s brilliant news if you use exercise as a tool to help your mental health (I know I do.) Walking has been shown to help our creative juices flow; who knew so much clarity could come from some fresh air and stretching of legs? Studies have also suggested that walking can help improve memory and prevent the deterioration of grey matter as we age.

You don’t need to start trekking either, “even 15 minutes a day of walking, without stopping, provides benefit with regards to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.” (Michael Weinrauch, MD, cardiologist)

OK, whilst I think I’ve got you motivated to walk more now, it still doesn’t make it particularly fun, does it? I agree. Fear not, dear friend, I have you covered on this too. You see, all this walking I’ve been doing has helped me get creative, and I’ve come up with helpful ways to make it far more enjoyable (you’re welcome).

8 Ways to Make Walking Far More Fun!

Why Walking is good for you, it allows you to get out in nature

#01 Go somewhere interesting

At the moment, due to my health, the best I can usually do is 20 minutes around my neighbourhood. On the positive, it does allow me to discover more about where I live. If you’re able to actually head out somewhere, pick a place you’re interested in exploring. Is there a pretty village you’ve driven through? Why not head there and wander around? Or a walking trail? Or a lake? Wherever takes your fancy, head there. And by the way, shopping is walking; pre-LC I could cover miles in our local shopping centre.

Top Tip: If like me, where you can walk is limited, you can still change up your route. It’s good to do this anyway for personal safety.

#02 Make it sociable

My favourite walks are the ones I do with friends. It’s so lovely to catch up and have a laugh as we walk along, soaking up all the benefits of walking at the same time! Walks feel less cumbersome if you’re involved in a conversation. Additionally, if walking is something you want to get into, why not join (or start) a walking group? What a great way to meet new people, stay healthy and connect.

#03 Have a pit stop

Why not take a flask and a book with you, sit on a bench and read halfway through your walk? My friend and I often finish at the local cafe. If I’m with the kids, we might stop for a little picnic or spend some time in a playground. A pit stop is a fantastic mental boost, especially if you’re flagging.

How to Make Walking More Fun? Listen to Something

#04 Listen to something

I’m aware this one might be obvious, but it’s so effective I had to include it. You can listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, even affirmations – this is a great time to pump some positive messages into your psyche.

#05 Try a Treasure Trail

Treasure Trails are brilliant. My family and I have completed a few. They’re available instantly pretty much all over the country. In a nutshell, you download a trail for your selected destination. Then you follow the clues to find the treasure or solve the mystery, allowing you to explore enjoyably. I shared all about our Treasure Trails experience here.

Searching around Rye for the next clue on our Treasure Trails Murder Mystery Trail — On the hunt for our next clue on our Treasure Trail

#06 Turn it into a game

OK, this is more for if you want to go walking with younger children, but adults, hey, I won’t judge you if you choose to do this too. One game my kids particularly enjoyed was look and spot. On a piece of paper, I would list – or draw – several items for the kids to look out for and spot on our walk. You can pick anything, as long as you’re pretty likely to come across it. I would pick things such as a blue front door, a green car, a pigeon etc. Playing a game enables children to become more involved in their walk and less likely to be coaxed around.

Top Tip: It never hurts to have a little reward on offer to add a bit of extra motivation.

Borrow a doggy to reap all the benefits of walking

#07 Borrow a doggy

If you already own a dog, you’ll be walking on the regular anyway; but for us, dog lovers – who don’t have a canine companion at home – why not offer to walk a friend’s/neighbour’s/colleague’s dog. They might appreciate the help, and you’ll have something loveable to keep you entertained on your walk. And if you still don’t have access to a dog, why not try Borrow My Doggy, a service that connects dog owners with local dog borrowers.

#08 Tune in to yourself

If you’re overdoing it or forcing yourself out for walks that mess up your schedule, then – no matter what you do – walking won’t be fun. I enjoyed extended walks with my friends, but my health didn’t permit me to keep up, and it would wipe me out for the rest of the day, so I had to cut the walk down. Have a realistic look at where you’re at and adapt your walk to you. Build up gradually, especially if you’re in recovery. The more you make walking fit into your lifestyle, the more benefit you’ll experience.

Happy Walking!

Recommended: Exercise Hacks – How to Be Fitter Without Really Trying

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I hope you come to see why walking as a form of exercise has been underrated, and you’ve learnt why walking is good for you. Have you tried any of the suggestions I’ve made? How did they work for you? Do you have any suggestions of your own to make walks more fun? Whatever you’d like to say – or ask – please do. I’m happy to help, and I always love to hear from you!