When it comes to lowering cholesterol, simply increasing the number of steps you take on a regular basis is a great start. Any movement that increases your heart rate has some beneficial effects not only on cholesterol but also on blood pressure. Regular, moderate-intensity walking can reduce your risk of high cholesterol to the same extent as running at a brisk pace.
You can do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week to help lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (aka bad cholesterol) and reduce high blood pressure. If you can increase it to 200 minutes a week, your health benefits will increase.
If that sounds like a lot, remember that you only need to break it down into half an hour five days a week or a little more than 20 minutes a day, and you don’t have to do it all at once. Spending 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there will definitely count and add up quickly.
No matter what stage you’re at in your fitness journey, you need a plan that will help you increase your steps and lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
Choose one of these walking routines to get started:
First: Make Walking a Habit
While 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week is recommended, if you’ve been pretty sedentary up until now, any extra movement is a step in the right direction. For those who are sedentary, even 10 or 15 minutes a day can provide some significant benefits. Studies have shown that just 15 minutes of vigorous exercise a day can reduce your risk of death by 17% compared to people who don’t exercise. So don’t feel bad about starting from scratch and try to increase your steps whenever you can.
Start by walking a little every day, keep it simple. You can plan how many minutes you can walk each day. For example, if weekends work better for you, try taking longer walks on Saturdays and Sundays, then taking shorter walks on weekdays, such as walking for five minutes each morning and another 10 minutes at lunchtime.
To help you stick to your plan, write down a few ways you can stay motivated. You can incorporate these motivation-boosting strategies:
Schedule walks with a friend every Monday and Wednesday evening (or whatever day works for you) to keep each other accountable.
Instead of walking around your neighborhood, try a new part of town. Curiosity can increase motivation, and new places will help the time pass faster.
Create a new playlist of music you love that makes you happy, then pair it with your walking, which will help change the way you think about exercise.
And consider buying a new pair of sneakers that you only wear when you walk to make daily exercise a habit.
Second: Gradually increase your steps
To consistently improve your cholesterol levels and overall health, it’s important to make walking a habit that you’ll do regularly. You may not be able to hit 150 minutes a week, but if you can get close to that number, within two to three months, walking will have significant benefits for your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Use a four-week plan to make walking a must. You’ll move a little each day at a moderate pace, gradually building up to 30 minutes of walking each day.
Breaking your walks into manageable chunks will help you feel accomplished each day. Start with small, short, easy steps. That way, you can build up each walk and not get discouraged.
Here’s a four-week walking plan for you:
- Week 1: Walk a total of 30 minutes at a moderate to fast pace: After four minutes, walk briskly for one minute, then repeat.
- Week 2: Walk a total of 30 minutes at a moderate to fast pace: After three minutes, walk briskly for two minutes, then repeat.
- Week 3: Walk a total of 30 minutes at a moderate to fast pace: After two minutes, walk briskly for three minutes, then repeat.
- Week 4: Walk a total of 30 minutes at a fast pace: After one minute, walk briskly for four minutes, then repeat.
After completing a month of brisk walking, challenge yourself to continue and improve by maintaining a brisk walking pace throughout your workout a few times a week.
