Denise Austin Reveals Why Walking is Her “Best Medicine”— Plus How to Make Effective Workouts More Fun

Improved heart health, lowered stress, stronger joints, happier moods…the benefits of walking are plentiful! Just ask fitness icon Denise Austin, who is a huge fan of daily walking for physical and mental health. “I am a true believer in walking,” Denise recently told FIRST in an interview for her July cover story. (You can watch a fun behind-the-scenes snippet from this photoshoot in the video above!) “Even if you just fit in a morning walk, you’ll get sunshine and movement — and it’s so good for your overall well-being.”

What’s more, recent research reveals you can multiply the benefits of walking by simply walking with loved ones. The fitness trend of “wellness walks” is popular right now — and they’re something Denise swears by. Keep reading for more easy walking tips! For additional expert workout tips, grab the latest summer issue of Denise’s Fit Over 50 magazine here or order a copy of her latest cover story in FIRST. And keep an eye out for the September 23 issue of FIRST, which features even more walking advice from Denise, and the surprising way you can power up your daily stroll to make it healthier!

Denise Austin’s walking exercise tips

Denise’s go-to combination when it comes to walking: Walk and talk! “Walking is always the best medicine…period,” Denise tells FIRST. “It makes you feel good, keeps you fit and improves your mood. If you can get out for just 15 minutes in the morning, it sets your day up in a nice way.”

But to expand on these benefits even more, she says all you need to do is schedule a walk with a friend or loved one. “I’ll walk with my sisters, my friends. I also love walking with my daughters. We just walk and talk about everything. There’s a sense of freedom and camaraderie that comes from these group walks — and I love that!”

To find a walking or activity meet-up with people your own age, search for walking groups near you on local Facebook groups or on sites and apps like MeetUp. Or you can start your very own neighborhood group with friends and family! No friends nearby to walk with? Call a friend and chat while you stroll!

The benefits of walking and talking

Walking and talking with your loved ones is more than just a good time — it’s actually study-proven to promote longevity. Research has shown that making friends and being social can be beneficial at any age, but it’s especially so in your golden years. In fact, in a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers reviewed studies looking at the relationship between adult friendships and well-being and found that both are vital to our physical and mental health and overall longevity. Not only does socializing lower depression, anxiety and stress, it also boosts overall life satisfaction. And it can help you lose weight!

Denise uses these group walks as something social to look forward to each week. Her routine? “On Sundays, I call my sisters or my girlfriends to see who’s around for the upcoming week and then I schedule it. We all catch up on our long walks and it feels great,” she says. “I’m a big believer in friendship walks! It’s such a great bonding experience. When you’re out on a walk you just talk and I love it. The physical benefits of walking are so beneficial, but the mental benefits are just as impressive. I always say walking is gymnastics for the mind!”

Denise’s favorite walking shoes

Denise loves helping women look and feel their best. And her most recent venture taps right into her love of walking! “Collaborating with Easy Spirit on a line of fitness sneakers has been a great experience! The reason I chose Easy Spirit is because they care about women’s feet, they really think about comfort and they are affordable,” says Denise. “We had the best meetings with all the women designers prior to collaborating. Like me, they’ve done it for 40 years, and I just thought that was really cool. I even get to be a part of the design process where we sit and think about why a woman needs a good walking shoe! They make walking even more fun.” To check out Denise’s collection, visit EasySpirit.com.

For more information and wellness tips, pick up the summer issue of Fit Over 50 at grocery stores and on newsstands now!