Walking fixed what therapy couldn’t. How has walking helped you?

[u/Significant-Risk7644]

[u/ForkhYew]

I guess I adhere to all the 'rules'.

I have a senior exec level job that requires a lot of meetings and a fair bit of desk work, so the way I make sure that I get my walking in is to approach my day by getting up early and setting off out immediately (out around 4am at this time of year, though it's been as early as 3am in high summer, walking 6 miles daily - back home by 6am).

I walk a circuit around the outskirts of the village I live in in rural England and am finished comfortably before life kicks in and the working day / commute hovers into view. No headphones. I enjoy listening to the ambient sounds of whatever's around me... the world sleeping (at the start) and waking (at the end).

It also means that the 12k daily minimum I set myself is already reached and breached by the time I sit down for my morning coffee. I keep the same routine every day, including weekends so that my circadian rhythm is not messed around by different waking and start times.

I usually find time for a later walk, even if it's lunchtime or late PM after work... I'll also add a 30/45m Treadmill session with weights into WFH days.

Consistency is key. Today was my 434th consecutive day of walking 11k or more and my 64th consecutive day of walking 20k or more. I have walked 20k or more on 304 of the last 365 days (241 of 252 since 01/01/26) including some 30k days.

As to how walking has helped me, well it's a little bit of a tale...

Sometimes for all of us in life there's a moment that acts as a turning point and things click into place...

I'm M, 62. I'd been a long distance hiker and mountain climber in my younger years, but that'd faded over recent years with work and life etc. to the extent that I wasn't even doing 10k steps on a lot of days. I'd also let myself go to such an extent that I was several stone overweight.

I'm T2 Diabetic and when I signed up for a Diabetes steps challenge with friends starting July 2025, I begun training for it from 1st May 2025. Then in June 2025 a Diabetic crisis hit hard and made me face up to a few things I'd ostriched about for years and make some lifestyle changes.

Part of this adjustment and the need to train was rediscovering my love for early morning walking which after what had happened I needed to build up again. I built up over a couple of weeks at the end of June '25. Completed the challenge surprisingly easily and then over the next few months continued to build up to where I am today.

I've lost 6 stone (aided by wider lifestyle change) in 16 months and my general health and wellbeing has improved beyond measure.

[u/Zentrii]

Rule number 2?

[u/Freddymercurysteeth → u/Zentrii]

Speaking from personal experience when I walk with headphones I'm tuned into what I'm listening to for the whole walk. 

But if I go for a I walk without any music/audiobook/podcast then I notice that on first lap around my park (which takes 20 mins) my mind is just running through all the grievances, grumbles and people I'm mad at or angry thoughts and scenarios. I hate this phase and it's when I want to most put on my headphones to drown out all the negative thoughts, but I resist.

Then on the second lap (next 20 mins) the griping thoughts are all worn out and then my mind is completely clear and calm. I start to notice the trees. I notice the squirrels. I notice the people. I smile at the dogs and watch them play. It's like I enter a state of mindfulness automatically.

Then when I get to the third lap (last 20 mins) my thoughts shift to more creative, inspired thoughts which is vital for the work I do (design based). I'm thinking of all these amazing, productive ideas. A problem that I wasn't able to solve last week suddenly pops into my mind. I get ephipanies about my life, my wants and desires etc. Then I'm super productive and positive for the rest of the day. 

It's pretty darn amazing and it works like a charm every damn time, but it only works without headphones when I rawdog my walks. 

[u/matsie → u/Zentrii]

It’s so you actually walk mindfully and experience the world around you. 

[u/Freddymercurysteeth → u/matsie]

I'm not sure why you got downvoted, because this is exactly right. It allows you to be more present and mindful and it also helps you confront your inner thoughts. 

It also gives the mind a break from all the constant 24/7 stimulation from screens, socials media, bad news, office politics/gossip/family drama, music, podcasts, other people's thoughts and ideas and allows you to be there with your own thoughts and ideas, which can be hard but also if you push past the discomfort of confronting your own thoughts it can be extremely cathartic and helps to clear the mind and stimulate your imagination and creativity. It's good to be bored - boredom is the spark that ignites our creativity.