by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
If you follow any of my content on social media or YouTube, you’d know I’m a huge fan of taking a morning walk. Now, I fully understand that a morning walk doesn’t sound all that spectacular or interesting, but I assure you, that walk does more good for me daily than anything else.
Let me explain.
In this article, I’m going to dive deeper into why I feel you should take a morning walk. And by the end of the article, I hope to convince you to give it a shot and make it part of your morning routine as well.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any supplements into your current regimen.
Morning Walk and Talk Episodes
I like to start my day with some form of education. Whether it’s me learning something or trying to help others learn something. During my morning walk, I will either listen to an audiobook that helps me learn new skills or I record 10-15 minute educational videos that I call “Walk and Talk” episodes.
Why is this important to me? Well, for starters… I feel that I always need to be learning. It can be how to be an even better writer, how to be a better SEO strategist, how to market my companies, how to get healthier, etc. The bottom line is I want to improve in some way every single day.
When it comes to my Walk and Talk episodes, I choose a topic as I’m warming up, and then I roll with it. I hit record on my iPhone, and I’m off to the races to explain a topic to my small viewership. All in all, if I can help one person, I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
Immediately Starting Your Day Off Ticking To-Do Boxes
The second reason I love a morning walk first thing upon waking is because it gets my mind right in a place where I’m already ticking boxes off my to-do list and doing the stuff that I would tend to find an excuse not to do later in the day.
Honestly, when I would do cardio at night, I’d find an excuse not to do it. I’d be too tired. I’d lack motivation. And ultimately, I’d honestly never do my cardio. So, getting up and doing a morning walk knocks it out first thing and helps set me up for success for the rest of the day.
I’m a big believer in getting the hard tasks done first thing in the morning. I’m already setting my day up for success with morning walks, and then by the time I get to the office, my mind is sharp, the endorphins are flowing, and I can get into my own flow state of writing content for my clients as well as my own website.
At the time of writing this, I can also get in a morning walk with my kids since they are on summer break. If they don’t have anything going on in the morning, they’ll come along for a walk, and we’ll get in a solid 2-mile walk before people are even leaving for work.
These morning walks are not only fun for me, but they are fun for the kids as they get outside in the morning (summer months) when it’s still a little cool outside and can take in the sights and sounds before the heat comes along to smack us in the face.
Health and Fat Loss Benefits
The last reason I enjoy my daily morning walks is for health and fat loss reasons. I’m by no means fat, but I’ve found it way easier to maintain my weight even when I stray from my diet. The 2-mile walk with some steep hills in there can really help burn a decent number of calories each week when I do a morning walk 5-7 days a week.
The cardiovascular benefits are also a reason I do a morning walk. Again, I’d find excuses at night not to do my cardio. I’m 100% one of those people who will avoid cardio like the plague. But for some reason, doing fasted cardio first thing in the morning with a walk makes things much easier and manageable.
The last reason is the natural vitamin D benefits. Getting out early for a morning walk allows me to get anywhere from 30-45 minutes of sunlight on my skin. I’m definitely one of those people who feel their mood change in the colder months when I can’t be outside in the sunlight. If this sounds like you, a morning walk may do you a lot of good, too.
If you want to burn extra calories, enjoy some movement outdoors, improve your heart health, and take in some natural vitamin D, a morning walk is something you should consider.
Add in the fact that you can leverage a morning walk to learn new things and start your day by crossing things off your to-do list, and you’re setting yourself up for massive success. I highly recommend you give it a try. If you’re a fan of a good morning walk, let us know down in the comments.
