Walking: My Accidental Love Affair with the World’s Most Underrated Exercise

So there I was, huffing and puffing on a treadmill, feeling like a hamster on a wheel, when it hit me: Why the heck am I torturing myself like this?

Don’t get me wrong, I used to be all about those high-intensity workouts. You know, the ones where you feel like you might cough up a lung by the end? Yeah, those. But between juggling a job that seems to think sleep is optional and kids who apparently run on Duracell batteries, those sweat-fests just weren’t cutting it anymore.

Enter walking. And no, I don’t mean that power-walking stuff where people look like they’re trying to dislocate their hips. I’m talking about good old-fashioned, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other walking.

It started innocently enough. I missed the bus one day and had to hoof it to work. Forty minutes later, I arrived sweaty (it was July, sue me), but weirdly… energized? Like, “hey, maybe I don’t need that third cup of coffee” energized. Color me surprised.

So I tried it again the next day. And the next. Before I knew it, I was setting my alarm 45 minutes earlier just so I could get my walk in. Me, voluntarily waking up early. If my college self could see me now, she’d think I’d been body-snatched.

But here’s the kicker: I started noticing changes. Not just in my body (though fitting into my “maybe someday” jeans was a nice bonus), but in my head too. That walk became my thinking time. No podcast, no music, just me and the sound of my feet hitting the pavement. I’ve solved more work problems during those walks than in any brainstorming meeting. Take that, corporate America.

And let’s talk about the people you meet. There’s this older gentleman, Frank, who’s always out walking his corgi at 7 AM. That dog has a different sweater every day, I swear. We’ve become “walk friends.” You know, that weird category of people you see regularly but only in one specific context? Yeah, that. But I look forward to our little chats. He’s lived in the neighborhood for 50 years and boy, does he have stories.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that walking is some miracle cure. I’m not out here running marathons or anything. But I will say this: my doctor actually high-fived me at my last check-up. Apparently, my blood pressure is down, my cholesterol is behaving itself, and my stress levels are… well, let’s say they’re better than when I was trying to cram an hour of burpees into my already overpacked schedule.

The best part? Walking doesn’t feel like exercise. It’s just… moving. I can do it anytime, anywhere. Stuck on a phone call? Walk and talk. Kids driving me up the wall? Family walk time. Need to grab a few things from the store? You bet I’m hoofing it there.

Look, I’m not here to preach. If you love your spin classes or CrossFit or whatever gets you moving, more power to you. But if you’re like me – perpetually short on time and energy – maybe give walking a shot. Worst case scenario, you get some fresh air and a chance to nosy at your neighbors’ front gardens. Best case? You might just stumble into a love affair with the simplest exercise known to humankind.

Just watch out for the dog poop on the sidewalk. That’s one part of walking I could definitely do without.