Walking and running are excellent ways to incorporate daily exercise into your routine. Setting achievable goals can significantly enhance the benefits you derive from each workout. Whether you aim to increase your pace, tackle more challenging terrains, or simply elevate your heart rate, consistent effort yields substantial results. A particularly effective goal is walking or running five miles each day. This straightforward yet impactful objective can lead to significant improvements in your overall health and fitness over time.
The Power of Consistency
Experts emphasize the cumulative effect of daily exercise. As fitness coach Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., notes, "One day where you walk a mile doesn’t seem like much, but over the course of a week, month, year… that all adds up." This steady progress can be incredibly motivating, encouraging you to maintain and even exceed your fitness goals.
Walking or running five miles a day doesn't require an excessive time commitment. Marcel Dinkins, a Peloton instructor and motivational speaker, suggests that a moderate pace can cover a mile in just 15 to 20 minutes. NSCA-certified trainer Alfonso Moretti recommends aiming for a 20-minute mile, which translates to walking at approximately 3 miles per hour. At a speed of 2.5 miles per hour, it would take 2 hours to walk 5 miles. Breaking up your walks or runs into smaller segments throughout your day can make the goal even more manageable.
Health Benefits of Daily Walking or Running
Consistent walking or running offers a multitude of health benefits that compound over time.
Cardiovascular Health
Walking or running five miles a day significantly improves heart health. Movement, especially at a brisk pace, elevates your heart rate and strengthens your cardiovascular system. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Read also: Walking for weight loss
Longevity
Daily walking or running is associated with increased longevity. The more you walk or run, the greater the benefits. Walking has been shown to decrease all-cause mortality, reducing the likelihood of developing cancer, arthritis, and heart disease.
Mental Health
Walking or running is a boon for mental well-being. Brisk walking for as little as 20 minutes a day can lower the risk of depression. Exercise, including walking or running, provides an opportunity to clear your mind and reduce stress. Running helps improve your mood by releasing endorphin and serotonin. These two chemicals are released in your brain and are believed to boost your energy and make you happier.
Calorie Expenditure and Weight Management
Walking or running burns calories, contributing to weight loss and weight management. The number of calories burned depends on factors such as metabolism and pace. Most individuals can expect to burn approximately 65-100 calories per mile. This means that running five miles a day can help with weight loss if you are maintaining a calorie deficit.
The impact on weight loss is most noticeable when transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to regular walking or running. Combining daily physical activity with a nutritious diet and a calorie deficit further enhances weight loss. Walking also promotes weight loss by boosting your metabolism. Metabolism is the process whereby your body converts the food and drinks you consume into energy. Similarly, running can help suppress appetite, which in turn reduces your appetite and eating patterns.
Reduction of Joint Pain
Walking or running can help in decreasing joint pain.
Read also: Weight loss with running
Optimizing Your Walking or Running Routine for Weight Loss
Walking or running for weight loss is most effective when you find the right balance between distance and intensity. Most people need to walk 3-5 miles per day (equivalent to 6,000-10,000 steps) to create meaningful weight loss when combined with a sensible diet, according to CDC guidelines for weight management through physical activity.
Increase Distance Gradually
Start with a manageable distance and gradually increase it by about half a mile every one to two weeks. This approach allows your body to adapt and prevents injuries.
Increase Pace
Faster walking or running speeds burn more calories in the same amount of time. While slower walking uses a higher percentage of fat for fuel, faster walking burns more total calories overall, which is more effective for weight loss. Recent research published in GeroScience (2023) confirms that faster walking pace significantly improves cardiovascular health and calorie expenditure.
Monitor Your Diet
Be mindful of your food intake and avoid overeating to compensate for the calories burned during your walks. Track your food intake for the first few weeks to ensure you maintain a calorie deficit.
Incorporate Variety
Change your route, pace, and terrain regularly to keep your workouts interesting and prevent plateaus.
Read also: Weight Loss and Triumph: Darla Miles
Consistency is Key
Cramming your weekly miles into two long weekend walks increases injury risk and may provide less consistency than regular activity. Try to spread your walks or runs throughout the week.
Running for Weight Loss
Running is an excellent choice of exercise for weight loss because it burns more calories than many alternatives. A 155-pound (70-kg) person could burn 372 calories in 30 minutes running at a moderate pace of 6 miles per hour (10 km per hour). This is as many calories as are burned during vigorous swimming and martial arts, and even more than those burned during a 30-minute game of basketball. High-intensity running like sprints, intervals and hill runs can continue to burn calories long after a workout due to the “afterburn effect.”
Getting Started
- Plan Your Walks: Schedule your walks or runs into your daily routine. Consider walking to work, taking a brisk stroll during your lunch break, or making it a post-dinner ritual.
- Mark Your Calendar: Treat your walks or runs like important appointments and mark them on your calendar.
- Break It Up: If covering five miles at once seems daunting, break it into smaller, more manageable segments throughout the day.
Additional Tips for Success
- Stay Motivated: Keep your workouts interesting by changing your running route every few weeks or adding in different types of runs like intervals or hill repeats.
- Find a Partner: Running with a friend that challenges you can keep you accountable and provides extra safety if you run during the early or late hours of the day.
- Prepare in Advance: If you find it difficult to motivate yourself early in the morning, try laying your running gear out the night before to save the effort in the morning.
- Set Goals: Signing up for marathons or other competitions when you are comfortable can also provide you with extra motivation for running and keep you focused.
Sample Running Plan
A beginner’s running plan should alternate between running and walking. As you progress, increase the time spent running weekly or decrease the time spent walking between runs.
Week One
- 5 minutes warming up
- 1 minute running at your natural pace, and then 2 minutes moderate-pace walking - repeat 7 times
- 5 minutes cooling down
Week Two
- 5 minutes warming up
- 2 minutes running at your natural pace, and then 2 minutes moderate-pace walking - repeat 5 times
- 5 minutes cooling down
Week Three
- 5 minutes warming up
- 3 minutes running at your natural pace, and then 2 minutes moderate-pace walking - repeat 4 times
- 5 minutes cooling down
Week Four
- 5 minutes warming up
- 4 minutes running at your natural pace, and then 2 minutes moderate-pace walking - repeat 3 times
- 5 minutes cooling down
After the month is over, try to progress by running for longer at your natural pace or walking less between each run. Try adding different styles of running as you feel more comfortable.
Other Benefits of Running
Along with weight loss, running can provide various health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, reduced blood sugar, lower cataracts risk, lower falls risk, stronger knees and less knee pain.
Important Considerations
While walking or running offers numerous benefits, it's essential to approach it safely and responsibly.
Consult a Healthcare Professional
Before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have underlying health conditions, consult with your doctor. They can assess your fitness level and provide personalized recommendations.
Gradual Progression
Avoid doing too much, too soon. Gradually increase your distance and intensity to prevent injuries. If you recently started a running routine, it would be best to gradually increase your mileage. Again, running five miles a day may not be convenient for older individuals. Still, on the same, running five miles a day for weight loss may not be the best approach for pregnant women. However, covering five miles may be too much for them. The best approach would be working with a trainer to determine a safer limit.
Proper Gear
Invest in good running shoes and comfortable clothing to support your body and prevent discomfort.
Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to your body's signals and rest when needed. Do not push through pain, as this can lead to injuries. Fitness experts have termed this a fallacy that often gets most people hurt and injured. It can also be a result of an intense routine. However, when you find yourself hobbling in pain after practice, you have most likely overworked your muscles beyond usual. So the expression that if you are not experiencing pain, you are not working hard enough is a myth.
Nutrition
Maintain a balanced diet to fuel your workouts and support your overall health. Evidence shows that eating before exercise helps you burn more carbs during your exercise program. So, do not skip breakfast if you are running in the morning. Likewise, have pre-workout meals if you are running in the afternoon or evening. High-protein foods are recommended if you are performing a strength training routine. However, a carb diet is recommended if you engage in cardiovascular and resistance activities. Experts recommend complex carbs because, unlike simple carbs, they provide you with long-term sources of energy.