5 Tips…

Speed is a game-changer when it comes to walking! 

In fact, brisk walking (between 3-4 mph, or 15-20 minute mile) is able to slow down the biological aging process. 

Your biological age basically tells you how much wear and tear there is on your cells. Faster walking speeds can indicate that your cells are biologically much younger than your chronological age. 

​The study was conduced with over 400,000 participants, and it showed that “a faster walking pace is indeed likely to lead to a younger biological age as measured by telomeres.” Walkers with a more brisk speed had significantly longer telomeres. 

Telomeres are the bits of DNA found on the tips of your chromosomes, and those little DNA bits are incredibly important. In 2009, several scientists won the Nobel Prize for discovering the true function of telomeres.

When you experience physical and mental stress, telomeres start to erode, which kills cells and leads to premature aging, while also damaging your immune system.  

Shorter telomeres… faster biological aging  
Longer telomeres… slower biological aging!  

Want to pick up your walking pace? Turn your walk into a need-for-speed workout with these 5 techniques… 

5 TIPS TO TURN YOUR WALK INTO A WORKOUT!

1. Posture

Stand tall; imagine a string coming from the top of your head pulling you up. Then tilt your body forward slightly from the ankles, not the hips or waist. Don’t arch your lower back or stick your butt out. Keep your spine in a neutral position by contracting your abdominals.

2. Head Position
Don’t tilt your head from side to side, and don’t drop your chin forward. Your eyes should focus straight ahead and not on your feet, so you don’t strain your neck.

3. Shoulders 
Your shoulders should be down and back; open your chest for easier, deeper breathing. As you walk, check your shoulders regularly. Are you slouching? Are your shoulders creeping up toward your ears?

4. Arms
Let your arms swing freely, but with purpose. This improves balance, increases circulation, and burns more calories. Swing your arms forward, not across your body. Imagine your body on a clock face, viewed from the side, with your head at twelve o’clock. Your arms should swing from seven o’clock (just behind your hips) to four o’clock (about belly button height).

5. Heel-Toe-Push

To perform this technique, keep your heel down on your trailing leg as long as possible. As you step, avoid lifting your heel on the leg behind you until you have to. At the end of your stride, really push off with your toes, to propel your body forward (not upward). This forces your glutes to engage, toning those buns as you walk.​

LeanWalk…
WALK OFF THE POUNDS