Workout-9 Myths and Facts to Know

There are loads of reasons strolling exercises are so popular. Walking features all the health and fitness benefits of other low-intensity steady-state cardio (LISS) workouts.

Plus, they’re convenient and accessible. You don’t need a sophisticated gym or a lot of equipment to walk. Walking exercises are customizable to your personal aptitude. And they’re excellent for persons of all fitness levels and ages.

1. Myth: Walking 10,000 Steps a Day Is Ideal

Many people use 10,000 steps as a benchmark for a daily objective, but this number actually originated as part of a marketing campaign rather than deriving from scientific evidence, explains Amy Bantham, DrPH, CEO and founder of Move to Live More, a health and fitness consulting company. Bantham has conducted research on physician exercise referrals and patient exercise behavior change.

There isn’t yet conclusive scientific evidence demonstrating that this number is the optimal objective for improved health than a reduced daily step count, Bantham says.

One study did show that walking more steps each day was incrementally linked to more benefit when it came to reduction in cancer and heart disease incidence, as well as mortality up to 10,000 daily steps, at which point the benefit leveled off.

Anthony Wall, personal trainer and director of international business development for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), says what is clearer from the research is that more steps are generally linked to more benefit.

A meta-analysis attempted to determine the minimal and optimal daily step count to enhance one’s health, analyzing over 111,000 individuals across 12 studies. Just about 2,600 and 2,800 steps per day moved the dial, decreasing mortality from any cause by 8 percent and reducing cardiovascular disease risk by 11 percent, respectively, compared with 2,000 steps per day. Benefits peaked at 8,800 steps per day.

The bottom line is that the verdict is still out on an exact minimum number of daily steps that delivers the most benefit. And while step counts are excellent tangible objectives that work for many individuals, there are other good fitness indicators like time and frequency, Wall says.

2. Fact: Walking Helps With Blood Sugar Control

When you participate in physical activity, you encourage your muscle cells to take up glucose from your circulation for energy, decreasing your blood sugar in the short term and helping maintain insulin sensitivity over the long-term, according to the American Diabetes Association. These factors help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and the complications that come with it. And while any form of exercise is excellent for regulating blood glucose, walking is especially effective — particularly when you do it immediately after consuming.

A systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that walking for just two minutes after consuming a meal effectively decreased blood sugar better than standing or simply seated. This can help individuals with diabetes or prediabetes manage their blood glucose, as well as assist others enhance their metabolic health.

Other research revealed that going out “as soon as possible” after a meal is preferable rather than waiting to walk. (That research also points out that since walking can mitigate blood sugar surges, it may also help reduce inflammation and protect your heart.)

3. Myth: Walking Can Cure Depression and Anxiety

Most exercise is associated with mental health benefits, but in most cases no singular exercise, like walking, can by itself remedy a clinical disorder.

How does strolling affect mood? Most people operate in a sympathetic or more stressful state, says Michael Fredericson, MD, sports medicine physiatrist, doctor, and surgeon at Stanford Medicine in California, and exercising can send a person into a parasympathetic or more relaxed state. “Over time, consistent exercise releases proteins called neurotrophic or growth factors, which cause nerve cells to grow and make new connections. The enhancement in cognitive function makes you feel better,” he explains.

However, that doesn’t imply that exercise is all you need for your mental health. If you have situational depression — that is, a reaction to a distressing, but short-term period in one’s life — then measures like physical activity and seeking support from family and friends may help move the needle for you, says Dr. Fredericson. However, if you have clinical depression, then seeking out professional assistance is a must, as therapy or medication may be required, he adds. It can be hazardous to self-treat on your own, and walking will not be an adequate therapy for a mental health disorder.

4. Myth: Running Is Always Superior to Walking

Walking is a low impact exercise that offers benefits such as promoting endorphin release, increasing blood flow to the body and the brain, and improving bone health, without exerting the extra burden on your joints, Bantham says.

For the general public, walking is gentler on the body than sprinting, Fredericson says, and there is less possibility of injury. Plus this minimal impact activity is something that everyone can do. Running is more of a discipline, and some individuals have bodies that better accommodate this form of activity, he says. Hip and knee alignment, body weight, and the shape of your foot’s arch can either predispose you for issues or contribute to your success when running, he says.

A lot of people inquire should they run or walk, Wall continues, and it comes down to one straightforward thing: What is your goal? If you are seeking to get fit and increase factors like oxygen capacity and CO2 output, then running is a superior tool, he says. If you are seeking for things like blood pressure reduction, feeling better, or improved sleep, walking is preferable for this.

Moderate to intense walking can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes when expending the same amount of energy as running, research has found.

5. Myth: You Shouldn’t Walk Every Day of the Week

Because walking is a low-intensity activity, it is perfectly reasonable for individuals to get out and walk each day, Wall said. “If you think about any population in a city in the United States, these walkable cities, people are walking every day,” he says. “One of the benefits is it’s something that most people, assuming they don’t have preexisting conditions, can do on a daily basis.”

However, if you are really taxing yourself on your treks, Fredericson says, then it might be beneficial to take one leisure day a week or incorporate other forms of exercise like cycling or swimming into your regimen.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (such as brisk walking) a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity (such as running) a week for substantial health benefits.

6. Fact: You Must Walk Faster to Burn More Calories

While any activity consumes calories, the more intensity you bring to your exercises, the more calories you expend. That’s true for strolling, too. The number of calories expended in a particular exertion depends on the individual’s weight and body composition, Bantham says.

Harvard Health published comparisons of calories expended in 30 minutes based on the activity and weight range. A 155-pound person consumes 133 calories per 30 minutes of walking at 3.5 miles per hour, and 175 calories per 30 minutes of walking at 4 miles per hour.

That means if someone’s objective is fat loss, you’re going to need to walk at a higher intensity or walk for much longer than other activities to see those desired results, he says.

To make your walks more of a challenge and to up the number of calories expended during your walk, intervals (alternating between higher and moderate or lower intensity periods of movement) can be very effective, Fredericson says. Incorporating intervals is excellent for fitness because your pulse rate is more elevated than when you take a leisurely walk, ultimately consuming more fat and calories. For another approach to intervals, you can also walk on an incline to enhance the intensity, either on a treadmill or outside on the road or trail.

7. Myth: You Have to Walk 30 Minutes Continuously to See Health Benefits

Based on the HHS Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’ objective of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, Wall recommends individuals walk 30 minutes every day, five times a week to attain this baseline.

A prevalent misconception, however, is that you must perform these 30 minutes consecutively, Fredericson said. You can split it up into smaller segments and walk 5 to 10 minutes at a time multiple times throughout the day and still get the same benefits of walking 30 minutes once in a day, he says, something that’s also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

8. Fact: Silent Walking Is Good for You

Another TikTok trend that’s gotten people eager to get out and walk more is #silentwalking (904.3K views).

The moniker might be new, but the act is not revolutionary by any means: Silent walking means taking a walk without distractions. No podcast through your earpiece, no speaking with a friend on the phone, or no walking playlist to listen to. Proponents of silent walking say that it allows you the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts and practice what could be thought of as a moving meditation.

While there isn’t research on “silent walking,” there is evidence in a systematic review to show that meditative and mindful walking is beneficial for generating positive emotions, decreasing distress, and reducing blood pressure.

But that doesn’t mean that walking and not being silent isn’t beneficial for you. If the prospect of a podcast, an appealing melody, or a conversation with a friend gets you on the treadmill or out the door, then consider that a success.

9. Myth: Indoor and Outdoor Steps Yield the Same Results

When you’re walking outdoors, you’re traversing terrain that alters (such as a shift in elevation) and distinct environments (such as green space) compared with indoor treadmill walking. And those differences may matter: One study that compared the effects of indoor versus outdoor walking found that “green” exercise — that is, being outside in a natural environment — helped hoofers attain a higher average heart rate compared with indoor walking, even though they didn’t feel as if they were exerting themselves more.

The outdoor trek session also improved their sensations of vitality. (Treadmill strolling did not.) The authors concluded that strolling outside might be more pleasant and help people persist with exercise.