It's ideal for all fitness levels
Walking is a free and often overlooked way of becoming more active for people of all ages and fitness levels - even for people with chronic health conditions - and you won't need any special equipment (apart from a decent pair of shoes).

It's phenomenally good for our health
Regular walking is proven to reduce the risk of some chronic illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, asthma, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some types of cancer. It can also improve our mood, with studies showing that regular walks can also help reduce anxiety, depression and symptoms of social withdrawal - and boost self-esteem.

You don't have to walk for hours to feel the benefits
The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise a week. Just 10 minutes of brisk walking gets us breathing faster and our heart rates up, which counts as ‘moderate intensity physical activity'. That can be easy to sneak into your normal daily routine (see Choose Your Step Up) - so you're already halfway there.

It helps us maintain wellbeing and independence
For older people, walking more often is good for increasing mobility and muscle strength, which reduces the risk of falls. Walking can also help maintain wellbeing and independence for people with long-term health conditions, including cancer, respiratory problems, arthritis, heart disease and diabetes, and also help manage the symptoms.

Walk to the local shops - Need a pint of milk? Don't waste time on traffic lights and looking for parking; leave the car at home for a pleasant stroll.

Go part way - Try cutting a longer journey by car or public transport and finishing it on foot. Get off the bus one stop ahead, or park a bit further from your destination and let your legs do the rest.

Walk the talk - Meet up with a friend and make it a coffee-to-go, with a lovely side-by-side stroll outdoors instead of the usual sit-down.

The lunch hour stroll - Do we need more than 30 minutes to have lunch? Try using the rest of your break for a relaxing walk.

Take the stairs - And skip the lift or escalator for a change.

Walk the kids to school - You could make it a routine to pick them up from places without the car, too.

The after-dinner constitutional - Even a short walk with family or friends after dinner will do you wonders, including for your digestion and blood sugar control.

Walk the dog - If you don’t own a dog, you can always borrow one. There’s nothing quite like watching a dog delighted to be outside, it can help lift your spirits too.

Walk mindfully - A walk is also a great opportunity to reconnect with the sights and sounds of the present moment, which can help improve your mental wellbeing.

Join your local walking group - Make new friends and get encouraged by a friendly local club of fellow walkers.

Walking is free - and so is the Outdooractive app

Discover ideas for beautiful walks near you, with free detailed route guides and points of interest, or take on one of our Stay One Step Ahead walking challenges. Here's how to get started:

1. Download the app from Outdooractive
2. Register for an account
3. To find walks near you, just tap the Menu icon in the top-left corner and select Routes
4. To find the Stay One Step Ahead challenges, tap the Menu icon in the top-left corner and select Challenges
5. Choose a #Stay1StepAhead community Challenge that suits you and tap Sign Up
6. And off you go! Remember, it's not a race - just taking part and having fun is the goal

Specific
Set a distance you can achieve each day, or a target step total.

Measurable
Use an App for walking or similar to keep a record of your progress.

Achievable
Don't be too ambitious at the start. Better to start with a short walk and build up gradually. Walking with a friend or joining a walking group will help you achieve your goals.

Realistic
When starting out on a fitness programme make sure you have the ability and capacity to train for the goal you have set. Remember to wear comfortable closed shoes when walking. If you intend to walk on tarmac go for trainers with good support. Walking boots for all other terrains.

Time-based
Think ahead and put a challenge on the calendar. Distance will depend on your level of fitness and walking speed. I would suggest a 5k or 10k charity walk would be a good starting point.

Calf Stretches
Hold the back of a chair while keeping one leg back with the knee straight and heel flat on the floor. Slowly bend your front knee and move your hips forward until you can feel a stretch in your calf. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

Achilles/Soleus Stretches
Place both palms on the wall from around a metre away. Take one step toward the wall. Bend both knees and lean forward and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times, then switch legs.

Double Calf Raises
Hold a table or wall with one hand for balance. Then, from a starting position of feet flat on the floor, rise fully up onto your toes then back down to put your heels on the floor. Repeat over 3 sets of 30 raises each.

Heel walks
Put your feet about shoulder length apart, put your toes up and start walking on your heels on the spot for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times, keeping your back straight.

Walking lunges
From a standing position, step forward with your right leg, putting the weight into your heel. Bend your right knee and lower the lower leg until it's parallel with the floor. Pause, then do the same with your left leg. Repeat over 3 sets of 30 steps each.

Improve muscle function and strength by adding oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel to your diet. These fish are not only rich in protein but contain omega-3 fatty acids that nourish muscle membranes and enhance nutrient transport to muscle cells.

The majority of daily protein intake in the UK is consumed in just one meal. Changing this to spreading your protein intake evenly throughout your daily meals optimises muscle amino acid supply, which in turn can help maintain skeletal mass and activity response.

Boost your overall health with a diet rich in polyphenols, found in colourful plants like green tea, pomegranate, walnuts, berries and leafy greens. Clinical research shows they amplify the beneficial effects of exercise on age-related brain atrophy, blood sugar control, weight loss and blood pressure in individuals over 50 years of age.

Consider adding a collagen supplement to your routine to support healthy joints. Collagen is rich in glycine, which also plays a key role in immune defences to infection and promotes cellular antioxidant production.

Incorporate fermented foods into your diet , like kefir, yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Research highlights that pairing a portion of fermented food with taking 7,000 steps or more daily, optimised gut health with a 90% decrease in digestive issues.