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1. How long should I walk each week?

The general medical recommendation is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, like walking. This contributes to overall health benefits, including decreased disease risk, weight and stress management, reduced stress, and better sleep. The great thing about those 150 minutes is that everything adds up! Just a 15-minute walk to the train and a 5-minute walk to work five days a week round trip puts you at 200 minutes of walking for the week!

2. What can I do to increase safety while walking?

Safety is one of the top concerns for pedestrians, especially if they are walking alone. You’ll want to keep these tips in mind to keep you safe while walking:

• Choose a route that is frequented by other pedestrians, bikers, etc. There is safety in numbers.

• Be aware of your surroundings. It’s best not to be distracted by your phone or wear earphones. Being aware and alert helps you avoid being a target.

• If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic and in a single file line.

• Check out these 11 Rules for Staying Safe While Walking.

3. Should I stretch before walking?

You can stretch before or after your walk, but if you want to do any stretching before you walk be sure to do a warm up first. Check out this Pre-Walk Warm-Up Routine for some simple movements that will help get your blood flowing, warm up muscles and joints and help you prevent injuries from walking.