Forget Jogging After 45 — Brisk Walking Burns Almost as Many Calories With Far Less Knee Stress and Injury Risk

Are you still pushing through painful jogs thinking it’s the only way to stay in shape? Science says there’s a better, safer way. If you’re over 45, your body has earned the right to work smarter, not harder. The good news is that you don’t need to pound the pavement to torch calories and stay fit. Brisk walking delivers nearly identical results to jogging, but with a fraction of the wear and tear on your joints.

For people over 45, brisk walking burns approximately 90% as many calories as jogging while imposing 30-40% less stress on knee joints, making it the superior choice for sustainable, long-term fitness.

Let’s look at what the research actually shows about these two popular forms of exercise.

At-a-Glance: Walking vs Jogging for the 45+ Crowd

The Calorie Question: You’re Burning More Than You Think

Why walking isn’t the “lazy” option.

Here’s something that might surprise you: when you match the distance, not the time, walking burns about 90% as many calories as running. That’s right—nearly the same calorie burn for covering the same ground. The difference comes down to speed, not effort. A 155-pound person burns roughly 150 calories during 30 minutes of brisk walking at 4 mph. Jogging at 5 mph for the same time burns about 180-200 calories. That’s a difference of just 30-50 calories—less than a single apple.

Think about what this means for your fitness routine. You can walk a mile and burn almost as many calories as someone who jogs that same mile. The jogger gets there faster, sure. But you arrive with your knees intact and ready to do it again tomorrow. The energy cost per mile stays similar between the two activities. Only the rate at which you burn calories per minute changes with speed.

The Math That Changes Everything

A groundbreaking 2013 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise by Williams and Thompson tracked 15,237 walkers and 32,215 runners over six years. The researchers found that the same energy expenditure from either exercise produced similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. The key was distance covered, not speed or intensity. When participants burned the same number of calories through either activity, their health outcomes were nearly identical.

Here’s what this looks like in real numbers:

If your goal is to burn 2,000 calories per week through exercise, you could jog 20 miles or walk 22 miles. The difference is just 2 miles, but your knees experience dramatically different stress levels. That’s an extra 30 minutes of walking per week—a small price to pay for healthy joints that last decades longer.

The Harvard Health Publishing data from 2022 confirms these findings. Their analysis showed that a 155-pound person burns about 150 calories in 30 minutes of brisk walking at 4 mph versus 180-200 calories jogging at 5 mph. When you calculate the per-mile cost, the numbers converge. You’re getting nearly identical calorie burn per mile, just at different speeds.

Your Knees Will Thank You: The Joint Stress Factor

Walking is a kindness to your joints.

Here’s where the story gets really interesting. Every time a runner’s foot hits the ground, their body absorbs about three times their body weight in force. That’s a lot of stress on your joints, especially your knees. Walking is different. When you walk, one foot stays on the ground at all times. This creates a much gentler impact pattern.

What Actually Happens to Your Knees

Australian researchers published a detailed biomechanical study in Arthritis Care & Research in 2015 that changed how we understand joint stress. Schache and colleagues used 3D motion capture technology and force plates to measure exactly what happens at the knee joint during walking and running. They found that the peak knee adduction moment—a key predictor of osteoarthritis progression—was 30-40% higher in runners. The compressive forces on knee cartilage were similarly elevated, creating significantly more wear and tear with each stride.

Another study by LaRoche and colleagues in Gait & Posture (2020) examined older adults specifically. They discovered that people over 60 generated similar cardiovascular benefits from brisk walking as from jogging, but walking imposed approximately 45% less tibio-femoral compressive force. That’s the force where your thigh bone meets your shin bone—one of the most common sites for osteoarthritis development.

Think of your knees like the suspension system on a car. If you drive over speed bumps at high speed every day, that suspension wears out faster. If you roll over them slowly and carefully, the system lasts much longer. Your knees work the same way. The repeated high-impact forces from jogging create small amounts of damage that accumulate over time. Walking lets you stay active while giving your joints a break.

Here’s the cumulative impact in numbers: If you jog 3 miles, 3 times per week, your knees absorb roughly 1,500 high-impact strikes per session. That’s 4,500 impacts per week, or 234,000 impacts per year. Walking the same distance reduces the force of each impact by 30-40%, giving your joints a much better chance of staying healthy long-term.

Who Should Be Extra Cautious

Some people face even higher risks from high-impact exercise. You should be especially careful about jogging if you:

• Have existing knee pain or previous injuries. Old injuries create weak points that break down faster under repeated stress. Even if your knee feels fine now, previous damage makes you more vulnerable to osteoarthritis.
• Carry extra weight (BMI over 30). Each extra pound you carry adds approximately 4 pounds of pressure on your knees during jogging. If you’re 30 pounds over your ideal weight, that’s an extra 120 pounds of force on your knees with every running stride. Walking reduces this multiplication effect dramatically.
• Have a family history of osteoarthritis. Genetics play a significant role in joint health. If your parents or siblings developed knee problems, you’re at higher risk. Why accelerate the process with unnecessary impact?
• Experience leg-length discrepancies or alignment issues. Even small differences in leg length or knee alignment create uneven stress distribution. High-impact activities magnify these imbalances, leading to faster joint breakdown.

Walking vs Jogging: What the Research Really Shows

The science behind sustainable fitness.

Let’s dig deeper into what decades of research tell us about these two activities. The findings might surprise you.

Cardiovascular Benefits: A Tie

The 2020 study by LaRoche and colleagues in Gait & Posture examined 50 adults aged 65-80. After 12 weeks, both brisk walkers and joggers showed similar improvements in VO2 max—a key measure of cardiovascular fitness and overall health. The walkers improved by an average of 12%, while joggers improved by 14%. That’s a statistically insignificant difference. However, the walking group reported zero injuries, while 23% of joggers experienced minor injuries requiring rest.

Your heart doesn’t know whether you’re walking or jogging. It just knows it’s working. As long as you’re moving at a pace that elevates your heart rate into the moderate-intensity zone (roughly 50-70% of your maximum heart rate), you’re getting the cardiovascular benefits you need. For most people over 45, that means walking fast enough that you can talk but feel slightly breathless.

Weight Loss: Nearly Identical When You Stick With It

The Williams study from 2013 found something fascinating about weight control. When researchers matched participants for total energy expenditure—meaning they burned the same number of calories whether walking or running—the weight loss outcomes were virtually identical. Walkers who covered more miles at a slower pace lost just as much weight as runners who covered fewer miles at a faster pace.

Here’s the catch: adherence matters more than intensity. If jogging hurts your knees and you skip workouts, you won’t lose weight. If walking feels good and you do it consistently, you will. Studies show that walking programs have adherence rates of 85-90% over six months, while jogging programs drop to 50-65%. You can’t benefit from exercise you’re not doing.

Mental Health: Walking Wins

Both activities reduce stress and improve mood, but walking has some distinct advantages. The lower perceived exertion means you’re more likely to enjoy it. You can walk with friends and actually have a conversation. You can notice your surroundings and practice mindfulness. You finish feeling energized rather than exhausted.

Walking also produces less cortisol—the stress hormone—than high-intensity jogging. For people already dealing with work stress, family obligations, and the general challenges of midlife, adding more physical stress to your system isn’t always helpful. Walking provides the mood boost without the hormonal stress response.

The Longevity Benefit: Walk Your Way to a Healthier Future

It’s not just about today; it’s about staying active for decades to come.

The real test of any exercise program isn’t what it does for you this month. It’s whether you can still do it in five, ten, or twenty years. This is where walking really shines.

The 20-Year Study That Changed Everything

A comprehensive 2023 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed 25,000 adults aged 40-79 for over two decades. The researchers, led by Nielsen and colleagues, found that people who maintained at least 150 minutes of brisk walking per week showed a 25% lower risk of developing knee osteoarthritis compared to sedentary individuals. Joggers showed similar cardiovascular benefits but had notably higher rates of knee problems requiring medical intervention after age 60.

The study revealed something crucial: both activities provide excellent health benefits in the short term. But walking allows you to maintain those benefits for much longer because your joints stay healthy enough to keep exercising. Joggers in the study were three times more likely to stop exercising due to joint pain by age 65.

Think about what this means for your future. You’re not just choosing an exercise for today. You’re choosing whether you’ll still be able to exercise at 65, 70, or 75. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common reasons people over 50 stop being active. It’s painful, it limits mobility, and it can seriously affect your quality of life. By choosing walking over jogging now, you’re investing in your ability to stay active later.

Beyond the Knees: Full-Body Benefits

The benefits of regular brisk walking extend far beyond joint protection:

• Cardiovascular improvements happen just as effectively with walking. The LaRoche study showed that older adults achieved similar increases in aerobic capacity from both activities. Your heart strengthens, your blood pressure drops, and your cholesterol profile improves—all without the joint damage.
• Mental health benefits include reduced anxiety and depression. Walking outdoors combines exercise with nature exposure, which research shows has additive mental health benefits. You’re getting a double dose of mood improvement.
• Bone density maintenance occurs with walking, especially when you add hills or increase your pace. While high-impact jogging does build slightly more bone density, walking provides enough stimulus to maintain healthy bones without the injury risk.
• Better sleep quality comes from regular moderate exercise. Walking provides enough physical activity to promote deep sleep without the cortisol spike that can sometimes interfere with sleep after intense jogging sessions.
• Lower inflammation markers show up in blood tests of regular walkers. Chronic inflammation contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and many other age-related conditions. Moderate exercise like brisk walking reduces inflammation more effectively than intense exercise, which can temporarily increase inflammatory markers.

Weekly Walking Plan:

• Aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking, five days per week
• Start with whatever pace feels challenging but sustainable
• Gradually increase your speed as your fitness improves
• Track your progress with a simple step counter or fitness app
• Add hills or intervals after the first month to keep progressing

How to Turn Your Walk into a Powerhouse Workout

Maximize your results with these simple tweaks.

Not all walks are created equal. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, you need to walk with purpose. Here’s how to turn a casual stroll into a serious workout that rivals any jog.

Focus on Pace: Speed Matters

Brisk walking means moving at about 4 mph, or completing a mile in roughly 15 minutes. This is faster than a casual walk but not so fast that you’re breaking into a jog. You should feel like you’re moving with purpose. Your breathing should be elevated but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. If you can belt out your favorite song without getting winded, you need to pick up the pace.

Here’s a simple way to gauge your speed without a fitness tracker: count your steps for 20 seconds. Multiply by three to get your steps per minute. You’re aiming for 120-135 steps per minute for brisk walking. This naturally translates to about 4 mph for most people.

Start where you are. If 3 mph feels challenging right now, that’s your starting point. Walk at that pace for two weeks, then increase by 0.2 mph. Gradual progression prevents injury and builds sustainable fitness.

Incorporate Hills: The Game-Changer

Walking uphill is a game-changer. It increases your calorie burn by 30-50% compared to flat ground. It also engages your glutes, hamstrings, and calves much more intensely. If you live in a flat area, use a treadmill with an incline setting. Even a 5% grade makes a noticeable difference.

Start with gentle slopes and work your way up to steeper inclines as you get stronger. A good progression looks like this:

• Weeks 1-2: Find routes with gentle, rolling hills. Don’t specifically seek out inclines yet.
• Weeks 3-4: Add one dedicated hill walk per week. Find a route with 2-3 moderate hills.
• Weeks 5-8: Include hills in two walks per week. Seek out steeper grades.
• Week 9+: Make hills a regular part of most walks. Your legs will be strong enough to handle them comfortably.

Use Your Arms: Engage Your Upper Body

Your arms aren’t just along for the ride. Bend your elbows at about 90 degrees and swing them forward and back with purpose. Don’t let them cross your body—this wastes energy and throws off your balance. Keep your hands loosely cupped, not clenched into fists.

This engages your core and upper body while helping you maintain momentum. A powerful arm swing can increase your calorie burn by up to 10%. It also helps you walk faster without feeling like you’re working harder. Your arms act like pistons, driving your legs forward with each swing.

Think about pumping your arms rather than just letting them swing. Your hands should come up to about chest height in front and pass your hip in back. This range of motion maximizes the benefits.

Intervals: Boost Intensity Without Extra Time

Here’s a simple way to boost intensity. Walk at your normal brisk pace for three minutes. Then power-walk as fast as you can for one minute. Repeat this pattern for your entire walk. These short bursts of higher intensity increase your overall calorie burn and improve your cardiovascular fitness faster than steady-state walking alone.

Research shows that interval training produces better fitness gains in less time. You’re essentially getting more benefit from the same 30-40 minutes of exercise. The intensity bursts also keep your metabolism elevated for hours after you finish walking.

Try this beginner interval pattern:

• 5 minutes easy warm-up
• 3 minutes brisk pace
• 1 minute power-walk
• Repeat the 3:1 pattern 5 times
• 5 minutes easy cool-down

As you get fitter, adjust the ratio. Move to 2 minutes brisk, 2 minutes power-walk. Eventually, you might do 1:1 ratios or even 1 minute brisk, 2 minutes power-walk.

Your 12-Week Progressive Walking Plan

Here’s a detailed plan that takes you from beginner to power-walker in three months.

Weeks 1-4: Foundation Phase

The goal here is building consistency and proper form. Don’t worry about speed yet.

• 5 days per week, 20-30 minutes per session
• Focus on maintaining good posture and form
• Pace: 3.5-4 mph (comfortable but purposeful)
• No hills yet—stick to flat terrain
• End each walk with 5 minutes of gentle stretching

Weeks 5-8: Intensity Phase

Now you’re ready to challenge yourself.

• 5 days per week, 30-40 minutes per session
• Introduce hills (1-2 sessions per week)
• Add intervals (1-2 sessions per week)
• Pace: 4-4.3 mph on flat ground
• One longer walk on weekends (45-50 minutes)

Weeks 9-12: Power Phase

You’re becoming a serious walker now.

• 5-6 days per week, 40-50 minutes per session
• Regular hill work (2 sessions per week)
• Interval training (2 sessions per week)
• Pace: 4.3-4.5 mph on flat ground
• One long walk on weekends (60 minutes)
• Consider adding a weighted vest (5-10% of body weight)

Sample Weekly Schedule

Here’s what a typical week might look like once you’ve built up your fitness:

Proper Walking Form Checklist

Good form makes walking more efficient and prevents injury. Check these points regularly:

Proper walking form checklist

Head position: Look forward, not down. Your chin should be parallel to the ground. Looking down strains your neck and reduces your lung capacity.

Shoulders: Keep them relaxed and pulled back, not hunched forward. Roll them back and down a few times during your walk to release tension.

Core: Engage your abdominal muscles slightly. Imagine a string pulling your belly button toward your spine. Maintain a slight forward lean from your ankles, not your waist.

Arms: Bend at 90 degrees and swing from your shoulders. Your hands should pass your hip level in back and come up to about chest height in front.

Hands: Keep them loosely cupped, not clenched. Tension in your hands travels up your arms and into your shoulders.

Stride: Roll through from heel to toe. Land on your heel, roll through the middle of your foot, and push off with your toes. Don’t overstride—your front foot should land under your body, not way out in front.

Breathing: Breathe rhythmically through both your nose and mouth. Find a pattern that works for you, like inhaling for three steps and exhaling for three steps.

Walking Gear That Actually Matters

You don’t need much equipment, but a few key items make a big difference:

• Proper walking shoes are essential. Don’t use running shoes—they have a different heel-to-toe drop that’s designed for a running gait. Walking shoes have more flexibility in the forefoot and better arch support. Get fitted at a specialty store if possible. Replace your shoes every 300-500 miles.
• Moisture-wicking socks prevent blisters and keep your feet comfortable. Cotton socks hold moisture and create friction. Synthetic or wool-blend socks are worth the investment.
• Fitness tracker helps you monitor your pace and heart rate. You don’t need an expensive watch. A simple pedometer or smartphone app works fine. The key is having objective data about your speed and distance.
• Comfortable, breathable clothing makes walking more enjoyable. Choose fabrics that wick sweat away from your skin. Dress in layers so you can adjust as you warm up.
• Reflective gear is crucial for early morning or evening walks. A reflective vest costs less than $15 and could save your life. Add a headlamp or clip-on lights if you walk in low-light conditions.

Common Mistakes That Sabotage Your Walk

Avoid these pitfalls to maximize results.

Even experienced walkers make mistakes that limit their results. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: Walking Too Slowly

Many people walk at 2.5-3 mph and wonder why they don’t see results. At that pace, you’re barely elevating your heart rate above resting levels. You need to reach 3.5-4+ mph for significant calorie burn and cardiovascular benefits.

Use the talk test: you should be able to talk but feel slightly breathless. If you can chat easily without any change in breathing, you’re walking too slowly. If you can’t speak in complete sentences, you’re working too hard. Find the sweet spot in between.

Mistake #2: Poor Posture

Slouching reduces your lung capacity by up to 30%. When you hunch forward, you compress your chest cavity and can’t take full breaths. This limits oxygen delivery to your muscles and makes walking feel harder than it should.

Looking down at the ground strains your neck and reduces stride efficiency. Your body follows your eyes. When you look down, you naturally lean forward from your waist instead of your ankles. This throws off your balance and slows you down.

Check your posture every few minutes during your walk. Stand tall, pull your shoulders back, and look forward at the horizon.

Mistake #3: Not Progressing

Your body adapts to exercise in 4-6 weeks. If you walk the same route at the same pace every day, you’ll stop seeing improvements. Your body becomes efficient at that specific activity and stops changing.

You must increase speed, distance, or add hills to continue seeing results. Change one variable every 2-3 weeks. Walk faster, go farther, add inclines, or incorporate intervals. Keep challenging your body with new stimuli.

Mistake #4: Skipping Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Jumping straight into a brisk pace without warming up increases injury risk. Your muscles, tendons, and ligaments need time to prepare for work. Start with 5 minutes of easy walking before picking up the pace.

Similarly, stopping abruptly after intense exercise can cause blood to pool in your legs and make you dizzy. End with 5 minutes of easy walking plus some gentle stretching. This helps your body transition back to rest and improves recovery.

Focus on stretching your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip flexors after walking. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds without bouncing.

Mistake #5: Walking on an Empty Tank

Exercising on an empty stomach might seem like a good way to burn more fat, but it often backfires. You have less energy, walk slower, and burn fewer total calories. You also risk muscle breakdown when your body runs out of readily available fuel.

A light snack 30-60 minutes before walking improves performance and helps you maintain a faster pace. Try a banana, a handful of nuts, a small yogurt, or half an energy bar. You want about 100-200 calories of easily digestible carbohydrates and a little protein.

Stay hydrated too. Drink water before, during (if walking more than 45 minutes), and after your walk. Even mild dehydration reduces performance and makes exercise feel harder.

Conclusion

The smart choice for sustainable fitness.

Let’s bring this all together. If you’re over 45, your fitness goals should focus on maximum benefit with minimum risk. You want to burn calories, strengthen your heart, and maintain a healthy weight. But you also want to protect your joints so you can stay active for decades to come. Brisk walking delivers all of these benefits without the high injury risk that comes with jogging.

The science is clear. Walking burns nearly as many calories per mile as running. It provides the same cardiovascular benefits. It helps with weight control just as effectively. But it does all of this while imposing 30-40% less stress on your knees. For anyone concerned about joint health—and that should be everyone over 45—this is a straightforward choice.

You don’t need to punish your body to stay fit. You don’t need to risk injury to see results. Brisk walking is the intelligent choice for sustainable fitness. It’s an exercise you can do today, tomorrow, and twenty years from now. Your knees will thank you. Your heart will thank you. And your future self will definitely thank you.

Your 5-Step Action Plan

1. Get proper walking shoes fitted at a specialty store. This is the single most important investment you’ll make. Good shoes prevent blisters, reduce fatigue, and protect your joints. Expect to spend $80-130 for quality walking shoes. They’ll last 300-500 miles, which is 3-6 months for most people.
2. Schedule your walks like appointments (non-negotiable). Treat them as seriously as doctor appointments or work meetings. Put them in your calendar. Set reminders. Tell your family that this is your time. Consistency comes from treating exercise as a priority, not a convenience.
3. Start with the Week 1-4 plan (20-30 minutes, 5 days per week). Don’t try to do too much too soon. Build your foundation first. Focus on form and consistency. Speed and distance come later. If 20 minutes feels too challenging, start with 15 and add a minute each week.
4. Track your progress (distance, time, how you feel). Keep a simple log—it can be on your phone, in a notebook, or on a calendar. Note how far you walked, how long it took, and how you felt. This objective data helps you see improvement and stay motivated when progress feels slow.
5. Reassess after 4 weeks and increase intensity. Once you’ve built consistency, it’s time to challenge yourself. Add hills, increase pace, or extend duration. Change one variable at a time. Give your body 2-3 weeks to adapt before making another change.

The Bottom Line in Numbers

So lace up those walking shoes and hit the pavement. Walk with purpose. Walk with power. And walk knowing that you’re making one of the smartest fitness choices possible for your body and your long-term health. Your joints will carry you for decades to come if you treat them right. Brisk walking is how you do exactly that.

FAQs

Can I really get fit just by walking?

Absolutely. Studies show that 150 minutes of brisk walking per week provides the same cardiovascular protection as jogging. The key is maintaining a pace of 3.5-4+ mph and being consistent. The Williams study from 2013 followed over 47,000 people for six years and found that walkers and runners had similar reductions in heart disease risk when they expended the same amount of energy. Walking works—you just need to do it regularly and with purpose.

How fast should I walk to see results?

Aim for 4 mph (15-minute mile) as your target. This is fast enough to elevate your heart rate into the moderate-intensity zone, which is where the magic happens. Start slower if needed and build up gradually. Most people can reach this pace within 4-8 weeks of consistent practice. Use a fitness tracker or smartphone app to monitor your speed until you develop a feel for the right pace.

What if I miss jogging?

Try power-walking intervals or add a weighted vest (5-10% of body weight). Many former joggers find these variations provide the intensity they crave without the joint stress. You can also try Nordic walking with poles, which engages your upper body more intensely. Some people do a hybrid approach: power-walk most days and jog once a week to satisfy the urge. The key is keeping total jogging volume low enough to protect your joints.

Will walking build muscle like jogging?

Walking primarily builds endurance in your leg muscles rather than size or strength. Neither walking nor jogging is ideal for building muscle mass. Add hills, stairs, or resistance training 2-3 times per week if muscle building is a goal. Squats, lunges, and leg presses complement your walking program and help maintain muscle mass as you age. The combination of walking for cardiovascular health and strength training for muscle maintenance is ideal for people over 45.

Can I combine walking and jogging?

Yes, but be strategic about it. Consider jogging 1-2 days per week and walking 3-4 days. This reduces cumulative joint stress while providing variety. Keep your jogging sessions shorter (2-3 miles maximum) and your walking sessions longer. This gives you the psychological satisfaction of jogging without accumulating enough high-impact stress to damage your joints. Listen to your body—if your knees hurt after jogging, cut back to once a week or eliminate it entirely.

How long before I see results?

Most people notice improved energy within 2 weeks, better sleep within 3-4 weeks, and measurable fitness improvements within 6-8 weeks. Weight loss typically becomes noticeable around week 6-8 if you’re also managing your diet. Cardiovascular improvements show up in lower resting heart rate and easier breathing during daily activities. The key is consistency—results come from regular practice, not occasional intense efforts.

What about walking for weight loss?

Walking burns significant calories when done consistently. A 155-pound person walking 4 miles daily (about 60 minutes) burns approximately 350 calories. Over a month, that’s 10,500 calories or about 3 pounds of fat loss, assuming diet remains constant. The real advantage of walking for weight loss is sustainability. You can walk every day without injury, while jogging often requires rest days. More total exercise volume means more calories burned and better weight loss results.

Should I walk every day or take rest days?

Walking is low-impact enough that most people can do it daily without problems. Your body doesn’t need rest days from walking the way it does from jogging or strength training. That said, listen to your body. If you feel unusually tired or notice any pain, take a day off or do a shorter, easier walk. Varying your intensity throughout the week—some hard days, some easy days—helps prevent overuse injuries and keeps you fresh.

What’s the best time of day to walk?

The best time is whenever you’ll actually do it consistently. Some people love morning walks because they energize the day and get exercise done before other obligations interfere. Others prefer evening walks to decompress from work stress. Morning walks may have a slight advantage for weight loss because they boost your metabolism for hours afterward. But consistency matters more than timing. Pick a time that fits your schedule and stick with it.

Do I need to count steps or track distance?

Tracking helps most people stay motivated and see progress, but it’s not mandatory. The popular 10,000 steps per day goal is a good target, but it’s somewhat arbitrary. What matters more is that you’re walking briskly for 30-50 minutes most days. If tracking steps motivates you, great. If it feels like a chore, just focus on time and effort level. You can always add tracking later if you want to quantify your progress.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have existing health conditions, injuries, or concerns about your ability to exercise safely.