4 ways to burn more calories and make the most of your daily walk

The health benefits of a daily walk are well-established. From aiding digestion to boosting mood, getting your steps in is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

A low-impact alternative to running or other high-intensity workouts, walking is effective, accessible and may help you live a longer, richer life. Recent research finds that walking 5,000 steps three times a week for two years could add three years to a person’s life expectancy and decrease their health-care costs by up to 13%.

Matthew Nolan, a chief instructor at Barry’s in NYC, told HuffPost this week that walking is beneficial for cardiovascular health since walking improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and prevents heart disease and stroke.

Nolan notes that walking is equally beneficial for the mind and body, “Mental health is also a great benefit to walking. The release of the endorphins while walking will help boost mood and overall mental state.”

According to Tyler Moldoff, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, daily walks build bone and muscle strength, improve joint health and alleviate chronic pain in the knees and lower back.

“It’s really been exciting more recently seeing a lot of new research coming out about how something as simple as walking can really be an exceptional exercise when done properly,” Moldoff told HuffPost.

Now, Moldoff and Nolan are sharing four ways to make the most of this most exceptional exercise — move to the tune of a fast-paced song, switch it up with intervals, incorporate strength training and take a hilly route.

Walk to the tune of a fast-paced song

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening a week. The good news? Those moderate-intensity minutes can include brisk walking.

Moldoff recommends moving to the beat of a fast-paced song, around 100 beats per minute, to ensure your heart rate reaches that elevation point.

“Try to sync your cadence . . . if you’re following along [to a] song that is . . .100 beats per minute, you can be sure that after a few minutes, you’ll start to work up a little bit of a breath, and you’ll be hitting that moderate intensity,” he explained.

Switch it up with intervals

Interval training, such as incorporating short bursts of speed walking or jogging into your walking workout, is a great way to build cardiovascular intensity.

Nolan recommends starting small with a 30-second jog or minutelong speed walking interval and gradually increasing the duration as the body adapts.

As The Post reports, taking nonuniform strides can also be a game-changer for walkers, helping people burn more calories when they stroll.

Incorporate strength training

Walkers can use light weights and incorporate body-weight exercises to add an element of strength training to their workouts. Nolan recommends including sets of squats, lunges and pushups in your walk to target different muscle groups.

He advises planning your walk, writing out your sets in advance and designating certain spots along your route for body-weight training. Choose a combination of exercises and durations that work for you, keep yourself accountable and switch it up to work different muscle groups.

Moldoff suggests walking with a weighted vest or, as a cheap alternative, a backpack weighed down with books to add another layer of challenge to your workout.

“Simply by doing that, you can help increase your metabolic rate, which improves your oxygen consumption, and that relates to a greater calorie burn,” he told HuffPost.

Take the high road

Walking on an elevated terrain or along a path with hills is an excellent way to level up your daily walk.

The variations challenge the body in different ways. Walking uphill or at an incline is an excellent form of cardio that puts less stress on the joints, a boon for those with knee or ankle issues.

Walking downhill, meanwhile, puts less stress on the cardiovascular system while improving muscle strength in the lower body.

For Nolan, consistency is key. “The benefits of walking are best realized with regular, consistent practice,” he told HuffPost. “Aim for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.”