3 Signs Your Walk Needs A Power Boost

There’s a reason walking is the single most popular form of exercise: Anyone can do it, and you can do it anywhere and almost anytime. One study found that walkers who burned the same number of kilojoules as runners saw identical cardiovascular health benefits, plus the same reduced risk of hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.

You need to make sure you're pushing yourself hard enough, says personal trainer and yoga instructor Judy Kuan. There are simple ways to make sure your walking workout isn't too easy. Here are three signs you might need to take it up a notch and ways to increase your effort—safely.

Sign #1: You never break a sweat

If you find that you don't need to change your shirt, wash your face, or even wipe a few beads of sweat from your brow after your walk, odds are you're not reaching 75 to 80% of your maximum heart rate—the range that puts you in the ideal aerobic zone, says Kuan. "Ideally, you want to be in this zone for at least 10 to 15 minutes during a 30-minute walk for the optimal health benefits," she says.

The solution: Hop on the treadmill

It can be tough to gauge how much you can pick up your pace—and sustain it—to get into this cardio zone, says Kuan. So even if you love walking outdoors, get on a treadmill for at least one walking workout so you can see how fast you really need to walk (and what that feels like!) in order to break a sweat and hit that 75 to 80% of your max heart rate.

Sign #2: You have long chats with your walking buddy

Your daily walking workout can be a great chance to multitask. After all, if you walk with your partner or a good friend, it's an opportunity to vent about your day and connect with your support system. But if you can string together more than five words without any challenge, you should be pushing yourself a bit more, says Kuan.

The solution: Add intervals

By picking up your pace at set intervals—say, for 1 minute every 3 minutes during your walk—you'll be forced to pick up the pace to the point where you can't chat during those bouts of time. Not only does this intensity boost help you blast kilojoules, but it also keeps you focused on the fact that you're working out.

Sign #3: You're not seeing results.

Oh, the dreaded weight loss plateau. Rather than get frustrated and discouraged when the same workout and diet routines stop working, take it as a sign that it's time to switch up your routine. "Plateaus happen. In fact, they usually mean you're on the right path," says personal trainer Sarah Ann Kelly.

The solution: Split your walk in two.

Rather than sticking to your once-daily walking workouts, split your time in half and walk twice a day instead. "By getting your heart rate up at two different times in one day, you'll extend the kilojoule-burning benefits," says Kelly. Another perk, says Kuan, is that this can also help keep your diet in check. "Oftentimes, my clients will walk for an hour in the morning and then give themselves carte blanche to eat anything they want because they've already worked out," she says.

Don't forget to sign up for the Prevention Virtual Walk if you haven't already. We're currently in the middle of a 4-week training programme ahead of Virtual Walk Day on October 23rd when you will be able to join a community of women walking 10 kilometres in their own neighbourhoods around Australia. 

You can sign up for the Virtual Walk here.