Walking is hands (or feet!) down one of my favorite modes of exercise. It’s effective, simple to do anywhere, and has amazing benefits for not only your physical, but mental health.
That’s why last month we started a walking streak, committing to making a daily walk a habit.
Start TODAY member Sandy Vecchi walked at least 10,000 steps every single day in June and recently started adding in strength workouts three times a week. She’s already feeling more energized and seeing a difference in her body.
“This has made a huge difference in the total calories I’m burning as well as the inches I’m shedding. I can tell the difference in the way my clothes fit without seeing a big change to my weight,” she wrote in the Start TODAY Facebook group. “It’s not all about the number on the scale. Everything I read, especially as you age…I’m 65…says strength training is a must addition to your workout. I’m already seeing the benefits!”
Vecchi is right. Now that we’ve made daily walks a habit, it’s important to start incorporating strength-training into the mix. We’re starting with the upper body, which doesn’t get worked during our walks.
Whether you’re an avid walker or brand new to exercise, this plan can work for you. In addition to walking as cardio, we will add two upper-body routines to the workout schedule. The first routine utilizes dumbbells, while the second uses resistance bands. The best part? Each routine is only 10 minutes!
If you’re new to exercise, start by simply making walking a habit with our 30-day walking plan!
A 31-day walking and upper-body strength routine
Download a printable calendar here.
Walking is always a good idea. So if you want to walk every day (even on strength days) — go for it! The important thing is to always include a rest day in between performing upper-body exercises to give your muscles time to recover. That’s why you will see on the calendar that we have an upper-body routine scheduled…
Read the full article here
