Walking Resolution: Get Moving!

From a health perspective, what is the best New Year’s resolution we can make? As a diet counselor and nutritionist, I believe the most important commitment we can make this year is to walk every day.

Today, we see a significant breakdown in the health system worldwide, and I believe a major contributing factor is the drastic reduction in daily walking. Even people from lower economic strata have access to some form of transport, resulting in less walking. Additionally, modern living spaces are smaller, flats and houses often lack compound areas, and people rarely walk to nearby markets or neighbors’ homes. In offices, people remain seated for long hours with minimal movement. This sedentary lifestyle begins early in life: children as young as five spend hours commuting to distant schools by bus, then sit through tuitions, and later spend most of their free time on computers or watching TV instead of playing outdoors.

The most important New Year’s resolution we can make is to commit to walking every day.
Start your journey to better health with this simple, powerful habit.

As families, let us resolve to walk and play more together. I work from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, but after work, I take my three children (aged 5, 10, and 13) for a 30-minute walk and jog in the park. My husband, a doctor, drops the children at school at 8 AM, walks for 20 minutes, and then drives to work. Where there is a will, there is a way!

The good news is that even if you can’t manage 45 minutes or an hour, 20 to 30 minutes of walking can do wonders. The key is consistency. We have counseled people aged 5 to 75 with various health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and gastrointestinal problems. In all cases, walking has had the most significant positive impact on their health and well-being.

Walking activates all glands, organs, and systems, keeping your metabolism high.
Boost your body’s natural functions with just 20-30 minutes daily.

Walking is a basic necessity for the human body. It activates all glands, organs, and systems, keeping the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) high when done regularly for 20 to 30 minutes daily. In the past, this happened naturally as people walked to work, fields, or markets, but today it is a rarity. Even busy housewives can benefit from a 20-minute continuous walk, which can be done indoors if necessary, in a large hall, terrace, or compound, as long as it is done daily.

The biggest challenge is maintaining the habit. Many start enthusiastically but stop after 2-3 months, often due to life changes like moving houses. For example, a person might say, “I’m moving, so I’ll take a 10-day break,” which often turns into several months without walking. Note that the BMR rises after 3-4 weeks of regular walking but drops quickly after just one week of inactivity. To raise it again, you need to walk consistently for another 3-4 weeks. This stop-start cycle leads to rapid weight gain and negatively affects lipid and blood sugar levels.

Even 20-30 minutes of daily walking can do wonders, the secret is regularity.
Consistency is the key to lasting health benefits.

If you’re pressed for time, commit to just 20 minutes daily, just as you never skip brushing your teeth or bathing, no matter how busy you are. You can compromise on many things, but never on your walk.

I struggled with weight for 28 years but won the battle, and the biggest secret to my success has been regular walking, at least 20 to 30 minutes daily. Even if you are slim, fit, and healthy, the key to maintaining your health is to walk daily!