Walking is a great exercise – You can do it pretty much anywhere, you get to be outside and you don’t need any special skills to do it.

That’s all well and good, but it’s also easy to turn your exercise walk into more of a stroll. That’s fine if that’s your goal, but if you really want to burn calories, it ain’t no walk in the park.

Make Your Walks WORK

There are ways you can make sure you get the most out of your fitness walks:

1. Use your arms. I know, people may look at you, but they’re just jealous that you’re exercising. Swinging your arms gets your momentum going. Your elbows should be bent at 90 degrees, arms swinging straight, not across your body. Periodically flip your palms up and you’ll get your arms going in the right direction. Pay attention throughout your walk and notice if your arms start to flop. That probably means your speed has dropped too.
2. Use good form. Land on your midfoot, not on the heel or the toe, with the foot right under the hip, not in front. This makes your walk more efficient and you’ll feel less tired. Keep your shoulders and face relaxed and your chest up. Pretend I’m watching you the entire time. There – you look gorgeous!
3. Watch your speed. You want to walk fast like you’re trying to catch a bus but you can’t run because you’re in 6-inch heels (hey, it’s pretend). Check in every few minutes to make sure your pace hasn’t dropped. You want to be just out of breath, but still able to talk in short sentences.
4. Use hills to get your heart rate up. When you find a good one, walk up as fast as you can and then recover on the way down. Repeat 3-5 times for a great interval workout.
5. Use a good playlist with a beat you can walk to. Here’s a Walking Playlist you can try on Spotify.

You can also use walking poles, which have been shown to help you burn more calories. How to use walking poles.

Now, if you really want to do it right, try this:

Walking Interval Workout

You’ll go through a variety of intensities for a workout that will burn more calories and keep you from getting bored.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!