Walking is often dismissed as too basic to count as real exercise, especially in a fitness culture dominated by high-intensity workouts and complex routines. Yet for many people, walking is the most sustainable form of movement. Its simplicity often leads to it being underestimated. According to Dan Go, a fitness coach, walking deserves far more attention than it gets. He describes walking as “the most underrated way to burn fat,” noting that it is both low-intensity and highly accessible. Taking to Instagram, Dan shared a cheat sheet of eight walking forms, which he described in the caption as “medicine disguised as movement.”
These walking styles range from interval-based methods to subtle lifestyle tweaks.
Sadhna Singh, senior fitness and lifestyle consultant at HereNow Official, tells indianexpress.com, “Walking is often underestimated because it does not feel intense, but when done strategically, it can deliver powerful health outcomes. Brisk walking, incline walking, and interval-style walking significantly elevate heart rate, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote fat oxidation, especially in people who are inconsistent with high-intensity workouts.”
For fat loss and metabolic health, she adds, walking has a unique advantage because it places minimal stress on the nervous system and joints, making it sustainable and repeatable. While intense workouts improve peak fitness, consistent walking improves baseline metabolic health, cardiovascular endurance, and recovery capacity, ultimately supporting long-term fat loss more effectively for most people.
Timing plays a crucial role in amplifying the benefits of walking. Singh states that a short walk after meals “helps blunt blood sugar spikes by directing glucose into working muscles instead of storing it as fat.” This is particularly important for people with insulin resistance or sedentary lifestyles.
“Walking after strength training enhances circulation, reduces muscle stiffness, and encourages fat utilisation because glycogen stores are already partially depleted. While walking at any time is beneficial, pairing it with meals or workouts turns it into a targeted metabolic tool rather than just general movement,” concludes the expert.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
