WHITE PAPER
Whole-Person Health Begins with a Walk
Walking for health and well-being is a life-changing habit. When taking a walk becomes a daily routine, substantial benefits – that go well beyond fitness – arise. A walking routine promotes thriving in all domains of well-being and enhanced quality of life.
With over 3 decades of crafting, refining, and reinventing walking challenges, we’ve learned a lot about the impact of walking on whole-person health and happiness. Our participants continue to share compelling insights about how good walking makes them feel and many ways walking enhances their lives. And scientific evidence continues to reveal the remarkable impact of walking on well-being.
Physical activity – like walking – is also associated with improvements in other lifestyle behaviors1, leading to better sleep, nutrition, and social connection, and less stress and substance use.
Unlike other types of activity, walking can be done nearly anywhere. Besides being easy and fun, it’s an affordable, convenient, and sustainable way to move toward an active, healthy lifestyle.
In this paper, you’ll learn:
- 10 ways walking removes barriers to exercise
- How walking elevates whole-person well-being
- 10 ways to help employees get started — and stick with — a walking habit.
Walking: The Path of Least Resistance
Exercise doesn’t come easy for everyone. From an evolutionary standpoint, humans are wired to conserve energy whenever possible — a survival advantage in environments where calories were scarce — which can make the instinct to avoid unnecessary physical exertion, like exercise, feel both natural and hard to override. And knowing that exercise is beneficial isn’t enough to fuel lasting motivation.
The truth is that getting started and sticking with an exercise habit can be a heavy lift. It’s a complex behavior that requires ongoing personal effort in the face of daily conflicts, distractions, and competing priorities.
Here’s a sampling of common personal barriers to exercise:
- I don’t know what to do/where to start
- I’m too self-conscious/embarrassed
- I don’t have the time or energy
- I don’t want to exercise alone
- I’ve tried but have never been able to stick with it
- I don’t want to get sweaty at work.
The simplest way to help people move more is to promote walking – an activity that many don’t think of as exercise. Walking is a realistic way for most people to increase physical activity and overall well-being, feel noticeably better, and stick with it – on their own terms.
Unlike many types of sports and fitness activities, walking is a familiar and simple way to move. Common activities such as using public transportation, moving around the workplace, and grocery shopping all involve walking. Starting a walking routine doesn’t involve much of a learning curve; we already know how to walk.
10 Ways Walking Removes Barriers to Getting – and Staying – Active
Walking removes many obstacles to being active – making a walking challenge an ideal way to support employees in beginning or renewing a physical activity habit. Walking supports all areas of well-being; helping employees develop a walking habit can start a snowball effect resulting in better health and performance throughout your organization.
Walking is:
- Accessible. Almost anyone can walk; it’s easy, fun, and free. Walking for exercise builds on an everyday activity that most people already do.
- Adaptable and inclusive. Effort level, time, and distance can be personalized, as well as type of walk – with others or solo, planned or spontaneous, outdoors or indoors, on land or in a pool, with/without assistive devices.
- Contemplative. Mindful walking is an active way to meditate. Stepping out for a walk can be restorative for the soul as well as mind and body.
- Convenient. Getting away from work for a short walk is a simple way to add more physical activity.
- Family-friendly. People of all ages can walk together, from walking to school to exploring parks and trails.
- Flexible. Even short walks are beneficial. Walking in small increments – such as 10 or 15 minutes at a time – accommodates busy or variable schedules.
- Free. Public spaces like neighborhoods, parks, trails, and waterfronts are no-cost walking options. In some areas, shopping malls, public school grounds, and sports venues are open regularly for walkers.
- No-fuss. Comfortable shoes/clothing and a safe place to walk are the only things needed. No special skills or equipment required.
- Social. Walking together is a fun way to stay connected and strengthen relationships.
- Stress-soothing. A walk offers a change of scenery, a shift in perspective, and a chance to think, reflect, and unwind.
“Easy to use, very inspiring to see how everyday movement can get you fit. You don’t need an extreme exercise program.”
Susan M.
USPTO
10K-A-Day participant
Walking Around the World
For adults, walking is the most popular form of physical activity in most countries. It’s number one in the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific. In Europe, walking is second only to soccer; in Africa, it comes in behind running.
Public health data highlights an important fact: many adults still don’t get any – or enough – exercise. Establishing walking as the cornerstone of your well-being initiatives can help people move from inactive to active … and the sporadically active to a solid habit.
By the numbers:
US adults getting no physical activity in their free time.3
Worldwide adults not getting the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week recommended by the World Health Organization.4
Walking Elevates Whole-Person Health
Regular exercise – including walking – is linked to improvements in other areas of well-being — such as nutrition, sleep, social connection, stress, and more. When someone establishes a walking habit, they’re more likely to sleep better, eat more-nutritious foods; and feel less stressed, for example.
Walking can serve as a realistic path to thriving in many areas of life, especially for those feeling defeated or stuck after unsuccessful attempts at habit change. Heading out for a walk most days is an easy win that brings an abundance of well-being rewards.
Which Healthy Habits Make the Most Difference?
Living the kind of life that good health makes possible is a universal desire. We can’t control every factor, but living a healthful lifestyle substantially tips the odds in favor of well-being. It’s not just about living longer – having a better health-related quality of life is something many people yearn for.
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine identifies 6 interconnected behavioral pillars vital to preventing and managing clinical conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. These pillars also play a significant role in improving mental/emotional well-being and reducing risk for disorders like depression and anxiety.
Walking Elevates Whole-Person Health
How Walking Supports Each Lifestyle Medicine Pillar
Walking – as a popular, budget-friendly, low-barrier way to be active – plays a vital role in bringing better health and quality of life within reach: