Over the last six months, I’ve completely fallen out of my exercise routine. I’ve gone from lifting weights a few times a week, plus doing Pilates and yoga classes, to squeezing in one or two workouts a week, if that.
The other thing I’ve been struggling to fit in is walking. I've been walking at least 8,000 steps per day for about five years and I think it’s one of the things that has helped keep me fit, healthy and happy. But over the past few months, I've struggled to hit a daily total of 5,000.
I’ve been trying to get back to working out five times a week and hitting at least 8,000 steps per day, but combined with a busy work and social life, it’s become increasingly overwhelming. My fitness goals were too ambitious.
While I could get by on a couple of workouts and 5,000 steps a day, I like to be more active and I’d like to lose a small amount of weight, as I've slowly been gaining weight over the past couple of weeks.
With all of these things in mind, I’ve changed my fitness goals. I've decided to try and work out two or three times a week, and focus on hitting my step goal of 8,000 to 10,000 steps.
Let me explain why.
Why I’m prioritising walking over strength training
For a start, walking is a more accessible form of activity. Going to a gym class requires booking a slot, getting to the gym and paying for my workout. To go for a walk, all I have to do is put my shoes on and step out the front door, which means it’s an easier goal to achieve while I’m out of the habit of exercising.
Getting out of the door and into the outdoors brings its own benefits too. Although going to the gym gives me a mental boost, nothing can beat the clarity a walk provides.
But perhaps the biggest reason is that my walking goal will ultimately burn more calories. Hitting 8,000 steps is more time consuming than a one-hour gym session. By prioritizing walking, I’m ensuring I move more throughout the day.
“Walking helps contribute to a generally active lifestyle,” says personal trainer Liam Cavanagh. “You’re more able to burn calories when going out for a walk than you are during a gym or Pilates session.”
He explained to me that many of the steps I take will fall into the category of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) activities. So when I walk to the shops, these steps count towards my goal.
“The more you can do that goes into that category, the better because it counts for three times as many calories expended as your exercise activity,” Cavanagh says. “This makes it easier for you to lose weight if you're looking to do that, or not to put on excess fat.”
Should you prioritise walking or strength training?
Walking and working out with weights both have benefits and incorporating them both into your routine is a good idea.
"If you’re someone who is quite stationary day-to-day, then prioritising your steps can be a very good thing to do,” Cavanagh says, but recommends gradually increasing your daily step count. Previously on Fit&Well, we spoke to an exercise physiologist for her advice on how to increase your step count safely, which, in brief, suggests a deconditioned person shouldn’t add more than 5% to their daily step target every week.
But don’t turn your back on weights completely. “Working out is the best way to build strength,” Cavanagh says, “which is important to your ability to enjoy life. You’ll wake up in the morning with more energy, you’ll be able to keep up with your kids and remain more independent as you grow older.”
He recommends aiming for just one gym session per week to get started. “If you don't train at all in the gym right now, your goal should be to show up once a week. Make that entry point as accessible as possible.”