FOR years we’ve been used to the idea that walking 10,000 steps a day will help us stay fit and healthy.
But while the sunshine and long days of summer make it easy to stomp the pavements, the weather outside right now is truly frightful.
The cold, dark and wet winter days mean many of us struggle to get out for daily walks.
The bad news? The blustery conditions aren’t going anywhere.
The good news? There is an easy solution to achieve those all-important steps and keep the weight off this Christmas.
Indoor walking workouts are the new big trend in fitness.
And with nearly a million videos to try on YouTube, thousands of examples on Instagram and TikTok, plus fitness apps offering fun, easy-to-follow indoor challenges, there is quite literally something for anyone who wants to get their steps in without having to put on 1,000 layers.
Not convinced that walking a few steps in your living room is going to transform your winter fitness?
There has been an influx of scientific research over the past few years proving the power of daily steps.
A study published in the British Journal of Sport Medicine in November found that increasing physical activity – for example, taking daily walks – can extend how long people live by up to 11 years.
The same journal also published that just 11 minutes of walking significantly reduces your risk of premature death and your chances of developing heart disease, some cancers and other diseases.
Not only that, but there is a wealth of evidence to show that daily walking can significantly improve your mood, strengthen your muscles and bones, reduce stress, improve concentration, burn fat and boost your cardiovascular system.
OK, now you’re listening.
But how do you get these daily steps in when Storm Darragh is blowing away outside?
Here are three ways to walk your way to winter wellness and weight loss.
1. Indoor walking challenges
We’ve probably all tried home workouts, throwing ourselves around our living rooms, sweat covering the TV, and carpet burns on our knees from burpees.
But what if home workouts didn’t have to mean crazy HIIT sessions and beetroot-red faces?
Searches for “indoor walking challenge” are currently up 200 per cent on Google searches.
Why? Because they offer the everyday person the perfect solution to consistent fitness – without exhaustion and without going outside.
Jason Kashoumeri, walking workout expert and trainer for fitness app RWL, says: “There is no question that indoor walking challenges are attracting thousands of followers because of their unreal list of benefits.
“But the real reason they are becoming so huge is that they are totally unintimidating.
“Most people can walk; most people do it every day.
“So the fact that people already know they are capable and they can do it without leaving the house means it’s immediately interesting and doable.”
Winter can be a testing time for many, but this offers an escape from daily lives, allowing people to focus on self-improvement
Mark Harris
So what does an indoor walking workout look like?
“Walking workouts are basically a follow-along class that you can do anywhere,” explains Jason, who’s ‘walk to the beat’ challenge has attracted thousands of followers.
“Most have music to make it more fun, and you essentially march on the spot then add in extra movements like side steps, arm movements and choreography to make it fun and interesting.
“It’s a bit like a step party in your front room.”
YouTube is home to many different versions to try, with the likes of GrowWithJo amassing a huge female following of her walking workouts and the UK’s Lucy Wyndham-Read gaining 2.5million subscribers to her walking home workouts.
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Scientists refer to exercise like this as NEAT, which stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis.
Chasing your kids around the playground or taking the stairs instead of the lift are ways you could already be incorporating this form of movement in your day-to-day life.
Tidying your home can be a very effective NEAT session – if done right.
Personal trainer Stephanie Thomas, from Maryland, US, explains why a top-to-bottom house clean can be so demanding on the body.
“The repetitive motion really adds up,” she told The Washington Post.
Everything from changing the bedsheets to scrubbing the toilet bowl burns calories and works muscles.
And you can ramp these things up by adding lunges and squats.
But even without doing this, when doing the following chores you can expect to burn:
- Dusting – 80 calories
- Cleaning the bathroom – 125 calories
- Cleaning the kitchen – 165 calories
- Doing laundry – 100 calories
- Mopping the floor – 80 calories
2. Walking pads
Winter hits and it’s freezing, dark and raining, and suddenly it feels near impossible to get those steps in.
So you head to the gym… where the treadmills are packed and memberships are expensive enough to bankrupt you.
But wait, there is a new kid on the block and it’s about to solve your step conundrum.
Walking pads – like treadmills but without the bulk.
Google searches for the products have increased 170 per cent in recent months, and it’s easy to see why.
They can be stored under your sofa or desk and are way cheaper than buying a full-on treadmill because they don’t cater for runners (they are designed for walking, and walking only).
You can buy an under-desk walking pad for as little as £119.99 from Debenhams or £139.999 from HomeFitnessCode, whereas treadmills can cost thousands of pounds.
What are the benefits of indoor walking workouts?
- They are cheap. Unlike gym classes, indoor walking workouts are a fraction of the cost – or free.
- They are convenient. No need to leave the house, change into your gym kit or fit into a class schedule – all walking workouts can be done from the comfort of your own home.
- They are time effective. From 15 to 30 minutes, indoor walking workouts use your time effectively to help you up those daily steps.
- They are for all abilities. From beginner to intermediate, you can go slow or fast to suit your needs.
- They are low-impact. Unlike running or HIIT workouts, walking takes the high impact movements out of your workouts and is kinder on the joints.
- They boost cardiovascular health and fitness.
- They help achieve weight loss, thanks to the calories you burn while moving.
- They improve sleep at night and concentration during the day.
- They improve your mood, reduce depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and reduce stress.
- They build strength and tone your muscles.
- They are pregnancy and postnatal friendly, so you can enjoy the benefits on your motherhood journey.
Pads are designed for walking and walking only and people are going wild for them.
The idea? Whenever you have a few minutes, you jump on, and start walking.
Got a meeting to join on Zoom? Why not walk for the duration?
Putting on your favourite Netflix show? Set up your walking treadmill and get your steps in while you watch.
Need to listen to your best pal’s 25-minute voice note about her recent breakup? Jump on the walking pad and listen while you step.
Mark Harris, coach and fitness expert at home equipment store Mirafit, says: “Aside from the various physical health benefits, it’s safe to say indoor walking can do wonders for people’s mental health too.
“Winter can be a testing time for many, but this offers an escape from daily lives, allowing people to focus on self-improvement.
“It’s the perfect trend for winter, with people able to take part from the comfort and warmth of their home.
“But it can also help maintain motivation, prevent weight gain and be an accessible workout for all ages and abilities.”
3. Kitchen discos
Remember the days when you’d go out clubbing all night, dancing your way across various dance floors, not stopping to think about all the exercise you were doing as you did it?
When the winter months creep in and we all favour a night in front of the telly than one out on the town, a little boogie to some of your favourite songs could be the answer to your fitness fatigue.
Popular in lockdown after Sophie Ellis-Bextor live streamed her DJ sets from her kitchen and encouraged the nation to join in, they have since become a buzz word in the fitness world too.
The idea? When it’s cold outside and you can’t face a Joe Wicks workout full of squat jumps and high knees, you simply pick your favourite floor-fillers, crank up the volume and dance like no one is watching.
Walking workouts are perfect for people who just want to fit in some exercise to improve their health and prevent weight gain
Jason Kashoumeri
Trainer Jason says: “Unlike walking workouts where you follow along with an instructor, kitchen discos are about just letting go, moving your body and getting steps in as a result.
“Everyone underestimates the power of music as a motivator to move.
“I guarantee that if you put on your favourite tunes you will be burning more calories than you could imagine as you throw those shapes.”
As well as dancing solo, many fans of kitchen discos join forces with friends and set up ‘Friday night disco Zooms’ – all logging on together and picking songs to dance along to while streaming to one another’s laptops.
“Dancing around your kitchen might not replace HIIT or strength training for achieving certain fitness goals, but for most people who just want to fit in some exercise to improve their health and prevent weight gain, they are perfect,” Jason says.
“You will get all the physical and mental benefits of exercise while enjoying burning calories. What more could you want?”
How to lose weight safely
Losing weight should be a long-term commitment to healthier living, rather than any drastic measures.
The NHS tips – which can be adopted slowly – include:
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
- Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that’s high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day
Read about:
- The five fat loss foundations
- The calorie formula for weight loss
- The perfect portion sizes for meals to lose weight
- Sun Health’s 8-week weight loss kick start plan
