Winter Walking: Is It Enough to Get You Through the Season?

Walking pads, a smaller, more portable version of a treadmill, have become a popular tool for getting in steps during the winter. But is walking enough to keep you healthy in the cold months?

Maintaining a consistent exercise routine during the winter months can be challenging, especially if your typical regimen includes speed-walking through the park or briskly treading around town.

That’s why walking pads — more affordable and compact than treadmills — have become increasingly popular this winter season. On social media, individuals who live in small spaces have been sharing their walking pad purchases and explaining how the item has helped them reach their step and fitness goals.

@angeliquefaithruiz my newest obsession @Ancheer🩷 #treadmill #walkingpad #ancheer #tiktokshop #10ksteps ♬ LOSE MY BREATH X LADY - CarterWalsh

If you’re looking to increase your physical activity as the winter dredges on, you may be wondering if using a walking pad is enough to keep you active and healthy until the spring rolls around.

Milica McDowell, MS, DPT, an orthopedic physical therapist and certified exercise physiologist who wrote a book about walking as a health practice, says yes.

“I absolutely believe that a walking pad can keep you fit during the winter months,” McDowell tells Wellnesspulse. “I actually live in Montana, where it is 0 degrees and snowing heavily right now. A walking pad is a great alternative to outdoor or treadmill walking.”

McDowell says walking pads are a great option because they’re inexpensive, portable, and most can be controlled with a remote, making them very safe.

“Keeping walking when the weather is cold or icy is an easy way to stay fit and healthy when walking outside is not an option or is risky,” she adds.

How much walking is enough?

While 10,000 daily steps has become widely accepted as the ultimate goal for walking, McDowell explains that this is a myth based on a marketing campaign by a Japanese speedometer company in the 1960s.

Instead, she says the best current science suggests that adults under 60 should walk at least 8,000 steps a day and adults over 60 should walk at least 6,000 steps a day to reduce their risk of cardiovascular and all-cause death.

“However, there are benefits that start with as little as 2,500 steps per day,” she notes.

It’s important to note that 2,500 is the absolute baseline that is recommended, and less than that puts you at very high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, she explains.

In terms of how much time you should spend walking, Lalitha McSorley, PT, a physical therapist at Brentwood Physio, says the gold standard for heart health and longevity is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise — or about 30 minutes, five days a week.

If you can walk at a brisk pace of around 3.5 to 4 mph on a walking pad, McSorley says you're getting solid cardiovascular benefits. But if your goal is weight loss or significant fitness improvements, she suggests increasing that to 45-60 minutes per session or adding inclines and resistance to make a bigger impact.

“For most people, walking can absolutely be enough to sustain general fitness throughout the winter,” McSorley says, “provided it's done consistently and at the right intensity.”

The health benefits of walking

The benefits you receive from walking depend on how much you walk, but research shows that getting just 3,000 steps per day can reduce your cardiovascular disease risk by 7%, and 3,500 can reduce your all-cause death risk by 15%. At 5,000 steps per day, depression symptoms are reduced, McDowell adds, and at 7,500 steps per day, the risks of developing depression at all are reduced.

Overall, she explains that walking can reduce depression and anxiety, improve sleep, enhance cardiovascular fitness, and help maintain bone health.

Walking is also great for joint mobility, McSorley adds, and walking on a walking pad can actually be easier on the knees than pavement.

Sergio Pedemonte, CSEP-CPT, a certified personal trainer and the owner of Your House Fitness, recently advised one of his clients to buy a walking pad because they work from home and don't get enough steps in throughout the day.

Pedemonte says walking helps lower blood pressure, improves circulation, and is particularly important for joint health as we age.

“If we're not utilizing the muscles and joints and bones, we're going to weaken them,” he says.

Walking is also by far the most accessible form of exercise, McDowell adds, and a walking pad makes it possible to do all year round, regardless of weather and lack of sunlight.

Add resistance training to complete your workout

While walking alone can be enough to keep you healthy during the winter, there are some benefits it simply can’t provide on its own.

“Walking alone won't provide the same muscle-strengthening benefits as resistance training, nor will it challenge cardiovascular endurance in the same way as higher-intensity activities,” McSorley explains.

If you’re using a walking pad as your primary form of movement, McSorley suggests incorporating some lateral movements, balance drills, or strength training to compensate for the lack of terrain variation.

For the best health benefits, you can try pairing your walking habit with resistance training exercises such as:

• Squats

• Lunges

• Core work

• Lifting weights

But if walking is all you’re up for this winter, Pedemonte recommends pushing yourself to walk a little more than you might normally, as increasing your number of steps will provide even more benefits.

“If walking is what keeps you moving in winter, go for it,” McSorley says. “A walking pad is an excellent tool, and if you're maintaining consistency with some variability, that can be a great way to get in your workout during colder months.”