Here’s What Happens
WHEN YOU WALK
Today I’m flying to San Francisco to meet up with my friend Elizabeth. We’re spending three days hiking through the redwood forest, soaking up nature. One of my favorite spots!
(Coast redwoods are the tallest living trees on earth. These are the tallest trees on the planet, growing to an astounding 380 feet tall.)
Can’t wait!
As you know, I love walking. It’s so interesting to see what happens to your body when you walk, minute by minute.
Walking is one of the most underrated tools you have for staying healthy. Even a short daily walk can make a lasting difference in your metabolism and your long-term health.
Most people think of a walk as one thing: cardio, a box to check, done in 20 or 30 minutes. But your body treats a walk as a series of stages, each one unlocking something new the longer you stay in motion.
Walking looks like one thing from the outside, a person moving down a path at a steady pace. Inside, your body goes through different stages, each one triggering something new the longer you keep moving.
Here’s what’s happening on the inside of your body when you walk…
0 to 10 Minutes: Your Body Wakes Up Your heart rate rises. Blood flow to your brain increases. If you walk after a meal, this is also when your blood sugar starts dropping, helping you avoid the crash that follows a big meal. Ten minutes is my go to length for a walk first thing in the morning to get some light, or right after a meal.
20 Minutes: Your Metabolism Shifts Fat burning increases. Insulin sensitivity improves. Cortisol begins to fall. Your joints get the circulation and lubrication they need without extra strain, helping stave off the stiffness that comes from sitting too long.
30 Minutes: The Happy Spot Endorphins and serotonin rise. The blood sugar spikes that follow a meal continue to smooth out. Walking outdoors at this point brings a sense of mindfulness that lowers stress and releases dopamine, lifting your mood well past the walk itself.
1 to 2 Hours: Full Body Mode Fat becomes your body’s major fuel source. Your cells start building more mitochondria. Anxiety decreases, leaving you steadier than when you started.
3 Hours: The Deep Reset The repetitive rhythm of long distance steps, especially out in nature, tends to bring on a sense of mental calm, almost a flow state. This is where I like to spend my weekends, on a long hike, with a few hours away from my phone as a digital detox.
Whether you have 10 minutes or a full afternoon, your body is always working with you. The only mistake is not starting.
LeanWalk…
WALK OFF THE POUNDS
6 Walking Workouts • Daily Calendar • Lifetime Access
What’s Included
– 5 audio walking workouts that boost your pace and burn up to 3x more fat than ordinary walking
– 1 indoor walking video so you never miss a workout, rain or shine
– Stretch & Flex video (10 minutes) to do before and after your walk, to improve mobility and prevent injury
It’s oh so simple! All you do is click on the calendar and your workout begins. It’s a simple click-and-play calendar:
• Just open today’s workout and click PLAY
• Transform your body (Seriously. That simple.)
