Shoutout to the people who think a 'quick walk' doesn't count as exercise

I keep hearing friends say they 'didn't work out' because they only walked the dog for 20 minutes. In my view, that totally counts. My watch tracked a 1.2 mile loop yesterday at a good clip, and it burned about 120 calories. That's real movement that adds up over a week. It matters because framing it as 'nothing' makes you less likely to do it. Has anyone else found that small, regular walks actually improved their energy more than they expected?

4 comments

4 Comments

wendy1313mo ago

Why do we act like exercise only counts if you're miserable? A quick walk is still moving your body, which is the whole point. My mood is always better after I walk to the coffee shop instead of driving, even if it's just ten minutes. It gets my blood moving and clears my head. Calling it "nothing" just makes it easier to skip, and then you miss out on that little boost.

spencer_park263mo ago

My doctor told me last year that just five minutes of walking after a meal helps your body handle sugar better. It stuck with me because it made it seem so doable, not like a big workout. That totally lines up with your coffee shop walk idea, where the real win is just getting started. Framing it as a tiny health win instead of a chore makes it way easier to actually do it.

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sandra_bennett593mo agoMost Upvoted

Watched my neighbor start walking to the mailbox each day instead of driving. She said it felt silly at first, but after a couple weeks she was doing a full loop around the block. Now she's up to two miles and swears her afternoon slump is gone.

milarodriguez1mo ago

Hold up on that, I actually think there's a downside to this whole "everything counts" mindset. I've been guilty of patting myself on the back for a twenty minute stroll and then skipping my actual workout because I felt like I already did something. The problem is that slow walking (especially the casual pace most people do) burns way fewer calories than people think, and calling it a workout can trick you into being less active overall. I mean, 120 calories over a week is like... half a cookie, you know? It's great for mood and blood sugar (I agree with spencer_park26 on that), but let's not pretend a short walk replaces real movement that gets your heart rate up.