Walking for Wellness: The Most Underrated Fitness Tool for Women

For the past two weeks, I’ve been doing something radically simple…but deeply healing.Morning walks and workouts at the local track and public park with a mom friend or two. 

Breakfast & coffee to grab and go. We go for an hour and get on with the day. Sometimes we stop at the Aubergine Café to support our local small business. They know me well.And I’ve noticed something.

By 9 a.m., my whole body feels more alive. My mood lifts. My thoughts get clearer. I feel energized but grounded—like I took a mini vacation from the chaos of modern life. This is grounding. This is dopamine from the Sun & Earth itself.

Quality social time ✔️

Sunlight ✔️

Exercise ✔️

When I sync up with others it really keeps us on track with trying to hit our 10k steps a day and get in strength training 3-4X a week. Not easy, when you work from home and have kids. These kids benefit too. They may fight me to leave but once we’re in the park, and with friends, everyone’s mood brightens and there’s more peace.

How does your activity level match up? 

The Harvard Guidelines (and Why They’re So Simple It’s Easy to Dismiss)

According to Harvard Health and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.

That breaks down to about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

And guess what counts?

Walking. Yes—walking.

Not sprints. Not HIIT. Not a half-marathon.

Just getting out and moving at a pace where your heart rate is up slightly, but

you can still hold a conversation.

If you’re short on time, two 15-minute walks a day can do the trick. Add in a short strength session 3 times a week (think a 10 minute YouTube video) and you’re actually doing really well.

But most women I talk to feel like if they’re not exhausted and drenched in sweat, it doesn’t “count” and it won’t be effective. Wrong. I’ve figured this out the hard way. We’ve all heard the saying, less is more. If you’re a mom, you’re already doing SO much. 

Consistency is what regulates your hormones, balances your nervous system, and gives your brain and body the reset it’s craving.

Walking: The Nervous System’s Secret Weapon

When we walk—especially outside—we’re syncing up with some of the most powerful tools available to calm and regulate the nervous system:

• Bilateral stimulation: 🚶‍♀️

  The natural rhythm of your feet moving left-right-left signals to your brain that it’s safe. It mimics what happens in EMDR therapy. Wild, right?

  
  

• Sunlight: ☀️

  Even 10 minutes of early sunlight supports healthy cortisol rhythms, which in turn helps us sleep better and feel less anxious.

  
  

• Breath and posture: 🙎🏻

  Walking encourages deeper breathing and improved posture, both of which support vagal tone (aka your parasympathetic “rest and digest” state).

  
  

• Connection: 🐶

  If you add a friend, a child, or a dog, you’re stacking nervous system gold—because co-regulation is real. We need each other to feel safe.

  
  

This Is Your Invitation

So mama, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, sluggish, anxious, stuck in your head, or like you’re spinning your wheels—start walking.Not with pressure or perfection. Just with consistent and imperfect effort.

Create a rhythm.You don’t need the perfect shoes or a fitness tracker or a chic matching set. Just pick a time and go.

Call in a friend. Walk after dinner. Do a 10-minute lap before the kids get up. Put the baby in the carrier. Or walk alone, with your phone off, just listening to the birdies.

This is how we heal.

This is how we reconnect to ourselves.

This is how we begin again, one step at a time.

With love, 

Lindsey 

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