At the end of the day, what counts the most is that you do a form of activity you will come back and do again tomorrow.”

most experts recommend adults do aerobic exercise of moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes every week. A moderate-intensity walk is brisk enough that you can feel the rate of your breathing increase, but easy enough that you can still carry on a conversation.

Step it up

Walking can be a lifelong workout habit – or it can be a springboard to more vigorous forms of exercise, which bring a few additional benefits. For people who

are already physically active, upping the intensity can make workouts more fun and engaging while further strengthening their heart health. In 2019, the Physicians’ Health Study found a higher walking pace was associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease in male physicians.

Get moving

Walking shines in getting and keeping people active. As an accessible and familiar form of physical activity, walking can be a great entry point for people just getting started moving— and those are the people who will benefit the most.

“ You have the most increase in [ health ] benefits when you’ re transitioning from doing nothing to doing something,” says Geri Ruissen, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation at the University of Alberta.

After you’ ve started an exercise routine,

the next priority is to keep it going.“ With very few exceptions, you cannot bank the benefits of exercise,” Panteleimon says.“ Once you stop, they’ re gone.” For many people, walking is a good long-term exercise because it is fun.

To get started, you need a pair of supportive shoes and perhaps some sunscreen and headphones for listening to upbeat music. From there, Panteleimon says, clear your mind of any“ no pain, no gain” ideas and find an enjoyable pace that will signal to your brain this is a pleasurable activity worth repeating.

“ At the end of the day, what counts the most is that you do a form of activity you will come back and do again tomorrow,” says Panteleimon.

Jen Monnier is an international Costco Connection journalist who covers public health and the environment.

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28 | JAN / FEB 2026 COSTCO CONNECTION