Did you enjoy Lumby Days over the past weekend? Maybe you marched in the parade or spent the day walking around the fair, checking out the different events and vendors—possibly even hitting 10,000 steps or more! Even if you weren’t walking fast, you may have felt drained by the end of the day. The heat, the food choices, and not drinking enough water can all contribute to that fatigue.
The good news? You moved your body and likely burned off some of those extra calories. That might get you thinking: What if I aimed for 10,000 steps a day—without the extra fair food and drinks? It could be a great starting point for better health, possibly leading to weight loss or simply feeling better overall—without that fatigue. And that’s a fantastic goal!
But then life kicks in. You might only have 30 minutes to spare between work, family, kids, and everything else on your plate. You only hit half of those 10,000 steps after much effort and start feeling discouraged. Maybe you even quit.
But I’m here to tell you—don’t quit. Even half your step goal is better than nothing. And with a few small adjustments, you can make those 30 minutes count even more.
Try adding intervals to your walk. This can boost your results without needing to reach 10,000 steps. Why? Because intervals raise and lower your heart rate throughout your walk, challenging your heart, lungs, and muscles in new ways.
Quick bursts of fast walking activate your fast-twitch muscle fibres—the ones responsible for power and quick directional movement (as discussed in last week’s corner). During your recovery walk, you rely more on slow-twitch fibres, which help you build endurance and go the distance.
Start slowly and build over time. If you’re new to interval walking, try this beginner structure:
- Walk at a normal pace for 4.5 minutes, then
- Walk as fast as you can for 30 seconds
- Repeat this 6 times for a 30-minute workout.
Once that feels manageable (after a week or two), try switching it to:
- • 2.5 minutes of regular walking, then
- • 30 seconds of fast walking, repeating over the 30 minutes.
Eventually, you can have fun mixing it up:
- 1-minute fast / 1-minute regular
- 15 seconds fast / 15 seconds regular
Choose what challenges you!
This method follows the FITT Principle:
Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type of exercise—meaning small changes in any of these areas can keep improving your fitness. Here’s how FITT applies to walking:
- Frequency – How often you walk (weekdays before work or at lunch)
- Intensity – How hard you walk (steady pace vs. intervals)
- Time – How long you walk (30 minutes- more or less). Track your distance, too—it gives insight into progress and effort
- Type – What kind of walking (cardiovascular interval walking)
If you are not sure where to start or would like some help getting started, then give me a call or email me below.
Mikkie Nettles-Pollon, Certified Personal Trainer/Holistic & Sports Nutritionist
Not sure where to begin, contact me at info@deemhealth.ca
250-541 -0411.
www.deamhealth.ca
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