How I Improved My Heart Stats Quickly in 20 Minutes a Day
I went from “below average” heart stats to “above average” heart stats on my Apple watch with a 20 minute daily walk.
For me, my walk is a productivity hack. Because science is my thing.
In a 20 minute walk, the science shows that I am doing all of the following:
* Reducing my risks of diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancers. (It only take 6000 steps a day based on the latest research, not 10,000. 10k was *not* something I wanted to maintain. But 6000? Walking around my house all day, plus a short walk gets me past that.)
* Science shows it can improve my mental health and focus – basically the same as taking a prozac and a ritalin as far as less depression and anxiety and more focus.
* I get fresh air and a little vitamin D.
* It serves as my meditation for the day if I do it without headphones –
* OR it’s my learning time if I do it while listening to something good for my brain.
BONUS! I get to see tons of dogs while I walk! SCORE!
What else can check all those boxes?
I used to dislike walking but it’s because I committed to too much. I enjoy a short walk every day. I would not like the heaviness of committing to a 45 minute walk every day. It’s not that I can’t do it. I just don’t need to give myself another reason to beat myself up. If you know, you know. #depression
But committing to 20 minutes? I can do that. And a lot of days I do walk further because I’ve got my shoes on, I’m already outside and the sunset is beautiful!
You can see very clearly where I got covid in September. But even before I got covid, my cardio fitness was not ideal.
I know the Apple Watch tracking isn’t necessarily the most reliable, so I only look at trends. Not daily. For instance, one day last year it said my resting heart rate was 180 beats per minute. Obviously that was a fluke. Because reliably my heart rate is normal and I felt fine that day.
Anyway, just a pep talk for you today. Put on those walking shoes.
I’m including screenshots from my Health app so you can see how quickly it happened. (You can also clearly see where I had covid in September.) Also for your enjoyment — a picture from my walk with my sweetie on my 50th bday the other day, and an oldie but a goodie from spring of 2022 when I took Einie (I miss him) and my daughter’s hairless cat, Aloe, on a walk. He loves it… really. lol.
Big big love,
Nik
