Vague guidelines to "move more" don't cut it anymore. Health experts are now tailoring specific walking recommendations to get better-than-ever results. In this way, walking daily is being used as a precision medicine tool for people of all ages and fitness levels to achieve a variety of health goals. Read on for three customized plans and discover the benefits of walking every day!
Why doctors are writing walking 'prescriptions'
Patients are more likely to take recommendations seriously when they are prescribed. So weight-loss expert Melina Jampolis, MD, shares, "I write prescriptions all the time for walking, as I really believe in the SMART goal system (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). I document the details right in their medical chart."
Soma Mandal, MD, an internist specializing in midlife women's health, also creates tailored walking plans for women. She tells patients, "Walking is not just exercise; it's a path to self-discovery and resilience." Here, three plans that improve your overall health -- and don't miss the inspiring 83-pound weight-loss success story at the end.
"Nature walking changes your body and your brain in a way that you can't get at the gym." -- Jennifer Walsh, Harvard Advisor
To improve mood and energy, try nature walking
A daily walk outdoors at a steady pace does wonders for body and mind. People who pair diet and steady-pace walking lose 33 percent more body fat than those who rely on diet alone, finds research in The Journal of Nutrition. And in a 2020 study, outdoor Nordic walking (using walking poles) reduced body fat by 18 percent and improved emotional health by 22 percent in nine months for overweight participants.
Nature walks are now commonly called "wellness walks," "green exercise" and "ecotherapy." The trend is part of a growing field of study known as biophilia, which is our need to connect with nature -- and be healed by it -- that is hardwired into our DNA. Stacy Beller Stryer, MD, medical director at the Park Rx America program, shares this fact: "The more time one spends outside, the more time they engage in moderate physical activity."
Jennifer Walsh, author of Walk Your Way Calm, and a biophilic advisor at the Harvard Brain Science Initiative, says, "Nature walking changes your body and your brain in a way that you can't get at the gym." In one study, people who began conducting office work in outdoor spaces felt their mood lift by 74 percent as their stress levels dropped by 71 percent.
Your nature walking Rx
To lose body weight and feel a mental, energetic boost, aim to walk in nature for at least 30 minutes every day. Enjoy different paths for a soothing, multisensory experience that could include the sounds of birds, the smell of flowers and a stunning water view. Extend your walks as your energy and stamina grow.
Why the buildup matters: "The body is not like a car where it goes the same distance with a gallon of gas," Dr. Jampolis says. "As you lose weight, you will burn fewer calories doing the same workout as your body becomes more efficient. So it is critical to change things up to keep benefiting."
To boost muscles and brainpower, try hill walking
Training against gravity, like when hiking hills or climbing stairs, is a form of exercise that's great for supporting lean muscles. Those inclines and declines help with weight loss and inflammation, according to findings in The Journal of Sports Sciences. Dr. Jampolis says, "I often tell patients to find hills or stairs to increase the intensity of their walks, work the major muscle groups in the lower body and burn more calories."
Changing elevation is also key for an aging brain. Just five minutes of vigorous exercise daily (like the type that happens when climbing a couple flights of stairs) is proven to reduce dementia risk by 41 percent, finds new research. Another study shows that women with stronger legs are 34 percent less likely to suffer from low cognitive function.
Your hill walking Rx
Strive for three 30-minute sessions of stairs or hill climbing each week and build from there. Keep your back straight and core muscles engaged as you go. To make your walks even more effective, Dr. Mandal says, "Incorporate intervals. Walk up a hill or stairs for a few minutes, then recover by walking on flat ground or descending slowly. Gradually increase the difficulty by choosing steeper hills or more flights of stairs. This progressive overload is key to building strength!"
To improve heart health and longevity, try microwalking
Research shows there are benefits to sprinkling several small walks into your daily routine. Proof it works: Postmenopausal overweight women who practiced microwalking lost five percent of their body fat in 10 weeks and lowered their glucose levels by seven percent, according to a 2024 study in Research in Sports Medicine.
Experts agree that all those individual steps add up, thanks to NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), or getting exercise out of functional movements like walking to the bathroom or bending to empty the dishwasher. Researcher and global longevity expert Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, confirms that people who live the longest get up and move every 20 minutes or so rather than cramming their day's exercise into one contained workout.
Plus, there are significant heart-health benefits linked to combining walks, say researchers in the journal Circulation. Those who cobbled together more steps daily had a 50 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who only took 2,000 steps.
Your microwalking Rx
Wear a pedometer or track steps with a smartphone to get a total of between 6,000 and 9,000 walking steps, distributed throughout each day. Dr. Mandal says, "Maintain a brisk pace during these short stints. This level helps burn calories and improves your cardiovascular health."
Success story: "Taking microwalks changed my life!"
Back pain, sweet cravings and weight gain were part of Amy Kukta Gleason's daily life. Then, when she was trying to heal from spinal surgery, her surgeon recommended she walk for 30 minutes, three times a day.
Amy started small: She could walk five minutes, three times that first day. She slowly built stamina, adding distance and time each day. She woke up early to walk, made a point to walk during her lunch break and set aside time for an afternoon stroll. Within a few months, she'd lost 20 pounds. Amy kept taking multiple microwalks per day. She hiked hills and worked using a walking pad with a stand-up desk. She also got added steps from cleaning and gardening.
In all, Amy lost 83 pounds walking. She saw improvements with her mood, skin and cholesterol. "I have more energy. I don't get winded and my pain level is so much better now," she says. Now she can walk six miles and her record is 35,000 steps in one day. Her advice: "Just keep moving!"