Amidst endless and sometimes overwhelming exercise advice, it can sometimes feel hard to keep our fitness goals in perspective. <\/p>\n
While gym bunnies might obsess over whether to do cardio after weights<\/a>, for instance, only 33% of men and 26% of women over 19 met the NHS\u2019s full activity guidelines<\/a> in 2021 (social deprivation was linked to<\/a> less movement).<\/p>\n That\u2019s partly why doctors are so keen on free, largely accessible, and unintimidating exercise, like \u201coverlooked\u201d walking<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Lancet<\/a> recently found that people who took 7,000 steps a day enjoyed a 47% risk reduction<\/a> in all-cause mortality, with decreased likelihood of developing heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and depression.<\/p>\n Brisk walking gives better health results than slower strolls. But what does \u201cbrisk\u201d really mean?<\/p>\n What is \u201cbrisk\u201d walking?<\/p>\n Brisk walking can sound a little vague and relative, and it\u2019s true that everyone\u2019s pace. <\/p>\n But in general, among healthy adults, the NHS says<\/a> that \u201cA brisk walk is about 3 miles [4.8km] an hour, which is faster than a stroll.\u201d <\/p>\n A good way to tell if you\u2019re reaching this pace is through a \u201csing test,\u201d which has to do with your vocal control. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can tell you\u2019re walking briskly if you can still talk but cannot sing the words to a song,\u201d the health service explained. <\/p>\n Speaking to HuffPost UK previously<\/a>, hospital doctor and consultant practitioner, Dr Hussain Ahmad<\/a>, said brisk walking \u201cmeans you\u2019re walking fast enough to feel warmer and breathe a bit harder, but still able to hold a conversation\u201d.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still unsure, you can use fitness watches and apps on your phone to work out your pace. <\/p>\n Why is brisk walking healthier for us?<\/p>\n Brisk walking has been linked to better longevity outcomes<\/a> than slower walking, perhaps because it works your heart harder<\/a>.<\/p>\n More specifically, it has been linked to<\/a> a 20% reduction in premature death compared to 4% for slower walkers.<\/p>\n Great news \u2013 health advantages were seen among those<\/a> who stuck to 11 minutes of brisk walking a day.<\/p>\n