Johnnie Walker’s (the whiskey company) slogan is “Keep Walking.” This tagline, which has been the brand’s mantra for over 20 years, embodies themes of progress, perseverance, and advancement. It builds on the idea that life is a highway and successful people keep moving forward.
That was deep, but there’s value in moving forward instead of staying stuck in the past. It’s an excellent figurative meaning of ‘keep on walking,’ prompted by a trip down memory lane, since this was my dad’s favorite whiskey.
I don’t drink the stuff, but I’m starting to embody the slogan.
In early January 2025, my health was poor due to circumstances beyond my control, so I decided to prioritize walking as a means of self-care. While these events were unfolding, I chose to focus on aspects I could control, such as my movement and lifting weights. Since then, I have averaged over 12,300 steps a day and three to four weight workouts each week.
With a bit of help, these issues have cleared up, and now I’m all set.
Walking, when viewed through a health lens rather than a calorie-burning one, is a game-changer. If you aren’t getting 8000 steps per day, it’s time to focus on walking by understanding its benefits and following my advice below on how to increase your steps.
But please, stay off the whisky, at least for now.
Walking Benefits
Walking is a contralateral act, meaning it involves opposite arm and leg movements. It forms the foundation of our locomotion, and as a result, walking activates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, which aids in clear thinking and reduces stress.
Think back to a time when you felt stuck, trapped in your head, or stressed out of your mind. Are you there yet? I’ll wait. If you get up and go for a walk, you’ll feel that contralateral magic happen. Boom. Head cleared, and hopefully, whatever you were stuck on will now be solved.
Sometimes complex problems have simple solutions. But wait, there is more.
Walking improves blood and lymph circulation as muscles contract and relax. Walking and other cardiovascular activities enhance the movement of immune cells, enabling them to travel throughout the body more efficiently and in greater quantities.
Then, exercise recruits specialized immune cells, such as natural killer cells and T cells, to identify and eliminate antigens. Boom. An improved immune system to ward off the common cold.
A meta-analysis study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking briskly (2.5-3.5 mph) is associated with a reduced risk of all cardiovascular diseases. (1)
Sounds like a win-win for your health.
Tips To Get More Walking In
Walking 8,000 or more steps a day is time-consuming, but not everyone has the time for extended periods of walking. That’s why it’s essential to break it up into separate chunks throughout your day and look for opportunities to incorporate more movement.
What’s important about walking is not how much you do in one time, but how frequently you do it. By incorporating a few of the tips below, you can increase your steps, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy heart.
Use the “1-Hour Rule”
Every hour, stand up and walk for 3 minutes or 250 steps. This tip hits home more if you have a Fitbit or something similar that reminds you to get off your rear every hour. That’s 24 extra minutes of walking without overhauling your schedule.
Make Your Errands Work For You
Seek a car park further away, rather than choosing the closest one, or walking the perimeter of the grocery store once before you shop.
Pace During Phone Calls or Podcasts
Walking while you’re on the phone, or listening to a podcast, is a low-effort and surprisingly effective way to stay productive and get your steps in. Whenever I do this, I get weird looks from my wife.
Evening Walk
The evening walk is my personal favorite. Without fail, after dinner and cleaning up, my wife and I go for a 20-minute walk. Even a quick 10-minute walk after dinner is beneficial for digestion and helps increase your step count.
Use The Stairs
Have you noticed that when there’s a staircase between two elevators, hardly anyone uses the stairs? That’s a shame because stairs are a step goldmine, and you should take them whenever possible to increase your step count and improve your behind. I bet Sir Mix-A-Lot encourages people to take the stairs.
Include Walking In Your Workout
Another of my personal favorites, and an effective way to increase your steps when you’re already in an active environment. Here are a few suggestions.
Incorporate a walking period into your warm-up and cool-down. I enjoy a 5-minute warm-up of incline walking on the treadmill, followed by a quick stroll afterward, as part of my recovery.
Include more locomotion-type exercises in your workout. Movements like weighted marching in place, weighted carries, sled pushes, and walking lunges will provide the dual benefits of increasing the number of steps you take while strengthening your heart and muscles.
Pacing around a piece of equipment while you are waiting gets your steps in, and then the other person feels uncomfortable and hurries up.
Wrapping Up
Keep walking is a fantastic motto for whiskey and also a reminder that getting your steps in has awesome physical and mental benefits. It’s a low bar, an effortless way to improve your health and sanity.
I need all the help I can get.
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Whether you’re just starting or you’re tired of piecing together random YouTube workouts, I’ve built my online coaching to help you succeed with:
Customized workouts you can do at home
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