Habit 2. Walk your way to better health

Welcome back to 80/20 Health Habits. In each installment of this 7-part series, I’m sharing one simple, science-backed habit that can make an outsized difference in your energy, performance, and overall well-being.

On Day 1, we covered the importance of optimizing your sleep.

Here’s what we’re looking at today…

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^{Health Habit #2}
Take daily walks

The benefits of walking are incredible. And carving out time in your schedule for a daily walk is an easy, high-leverage move that yields an outsized positive impact on your health.

Here’s what a regular walking routine can do for you:

• Clears your mind. It puts you at peace and clears your mind.

• Improves cardiovascular health. There’s a clear relationship between daily walking and a reduction in cardiovascular events and premature death. A major meta-analysis¹ found that accumulating roughly 9.5k steps daily is associated with a 35% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to walking 3.5k steps per day. Similarly, walking around 9k steps per day is linked to a 40% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to walking around 4.1k steps.

• Enhances digestion. Walking actively improves and helps with your digestion.

• Supports weight management + metabolic health. Walking has been shown to actively counteract the effects of weight-promoting genes. Short walks can also help tame your sweet tooth; studies from the University of Exeter found that even a 15-minute walk can curb sugar cravings and reduce the consumption of chocolate during stressful situations.²

• Regulates blood sugar. Walking balances out and regulates your blood sugar.

• Boosts creativity + cognitive function. Neuroscience confirms that walking promotes better brain connectivity. That means it boosts your mood and creativity — walking is when I get my own best ideas; it’s also the first thing I do if I’m wrestling with a challenge of some kind. And when you walk outdoors, the therapeutic effects of nature (ecotherapy) further enhance these positive neurological benefits.³

• Strengthens your immune system + lowers cancer risk. I don’t want to jinx myself here, but I rarely get sick. And when I do, I recover fast. There are, of course, many reasons why, but if I had to pin it down to one or two, I’d say it’s thanks to walking and green juice. But that’s anecdotal, so let me share a bit of research:

  • A study of over 1k men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, ~5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. For those who kept up a walking routine but did happen to get sick, their illnesses were for a much shorter duration and their symptoms were noticeably milder.⁴

  • Walking also provides powerful preventative benefits against disease; an ACS study found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who walked three hours or fewer per week.⁵

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Actionable insights

You can’t build a life you love on a body you neglect.

Your health is an investment that elevates everything else you do in your life, including your work, your relationships, and your overall energy.

If you haven’t taken your health seriously until now - committing to a daily walk is the easiest way to start.

Here’s your actionable 80/20 health takeaway for Day #2…

To begin implementing a walking routine into your daily life, choose one of the following options, based on your current fitness level and/or schedule:

• Option 1—Aim for one 20-30-minute walk per day.

  or

• Option 2—Take a brisk 10-minute walk after every meal. If you eat three meals a day, simply head out right after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Pick an option, and get started today.

If it’s your first time establishing a daily walking routine, you’ll begin to notice the benefits in your own life within a matter of days.

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Lastly, if you want to go deeper (much deeper) into the power of walking, watch the lesson below from my morning routine course, Master the Morning:

11: Dean’s Morning Ritual

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Up next…

Footnotes

1. The relationships between step count and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events: A dose–response meta-analysis (PMC8724621)

2. The Health Benefits of Walking (Diabetes Self-Management)

3. Enhance Well-Being Today (Lifeline Medical)

4. Enhance Well-Being Today (Lifeline Medical)

5. Walking in Winchester (Winchester Spine Centre)