Walk: Rediscover the Most Natural Way to Boost Your Health and Longevity—One Step at a Time
5 | 8 ratings
Price: 19.68
Last update: 05-14-2026
Top reviews from the United States
- George F. McDowellA Must ReadThis book has been a long time coming. At last here is a manuscript which can give you guidance to a healthier life by simply walking. The authors give you the tools to get on the road to better health and you do not have to be an elite athlete to achieve success. The great thing about the book you do not have to have a PhD to understand its content. I’m 78 years old and this will become a staple reference manual for me. Vitamin W, walking, can change your life.
- BCWarriorA Paradigm Shift for Lifelong AthletesOutstanding book! Having turned 60 this past year, I’ve stayed in shape my whole life through running and weight training. However, the cumulative "wear and tear" of high-impact miles was starting to make exercise feel like a chore rather than a hobby.
This book was an eye-opener. I never realized that walking could offer such tremendous health benefits without the joint tax of running. I’m thinking of gifting copies to my buddies who complain about their aches and pains. My message to them: Stop treating the symptoms and start fixing the problem. This book is the manual for doing that. - Nicole KalilI needed this book!As someone who always dismissed walking as "not enough", I needed this book. Smart, science-backed, and incredibly practical, it makes a compelling case that walking isn’t “less than” exercise...it may actually be one of the most powerful things we can do for our health and longevity.
- Robert MorrisHow to become a "lean, mean walking machine."There are so many points to be made about the benefits of walking insofar as mental health is concerned. Courtney Conley and Milica McDowell cite and discuss all of the most significant.
As they explain, "In the first half of the book, we discuss vitamin W -- walking -- and how paying attention to is essential for promoting all aspects of health and wellness. We share what happens to people's physical, mental, and emotional health when they don't walk enough, and that conversation is not particularly pretty."
QUESTION: Have you ever thought about "your body's movement needs"?
"The second half of the book transitions to the practical aspects, giving you everything you need to know to assess your current foot health and to implement a walking routine. We explain the importance of choosing the right footwear and provide a wealth of resources to support your ongoing learning. We give you tools to measure your baseline capacity to walk. You'll play with some easy tests for foot awareness, mobility, and strength. and you'll uncover whether you have any factors that could indicate greater fault risk in the future. We then share custom walking programs designed to help you walk using a more efficient pattern tailored to your individual needs. In the back of the book, we share resources and links as well as worksheets to supplement all you have discovered in the chapters."(Page xvi)
I hasten to reassure you that Walk was not written by Mildred Ratchett, R.N. The ultimate purpose of the narrative is NOT to terrorize you with all manner of accusations and threats. In fact, really do care about your mental and physical health and really are determined to help you and as many others as possible to become a "lean, mean walking machine." They have a sharp wit and a delicious sense of humor.
These are among the subjects/strategic objectives on which Conley and McDowell concentrate. As listed here, each is preceded by a HOW to:
o Get your walking, breathing, and sleeping in harmony
o Benefit from the most underprescribed medicine in the 21st century
o Use the right keys to unlock longevity
o Reframe pain
o Formulate your "walking signature"
o Formulate your "walking mindset"
o Learn what you need to know about "bad shoes"
o Know which shoes to wear
o Complete the transition -- step by step -- from a traditional walking shoe to a functional shoe for dedicated walking
o Measure process (step-by-step) and improvement
Keep in mind that Courtney Conley and Milica McDowell have a world-classs formal education (with multiple degrees in medicine and natural science), and then wide and deep experience. They know which WHATs will be of greatest importance to you. The information, insights, and counsel they provide can have incalculable value if (HUGE "if") you apply the material effectively. Thomas Edison was right: "Vision without execution is hallucination."
Bon voyage!
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Here are two suggestions while you are reading Walk: First, highlight key passages. Also, perhaps in a lined notebook kept near-at-hand, record your comments, questions, and action steps (preferably with deadlines). Pay special attention to the aforementioned "Movement Snacks" material at the conclusion of Chapters 1-10. Bon appétit!
These two simple tactics — highlighting and documenting — will expedite frequent reviews of key material later. - mauireaderVitamin WAn engaging book written in a non technical format that discusses how walking is much more than just a passive activity. It is a powerful foundation for health. I found it very easy to read, the format was refreshing and within each subject chapter they discussed exercises and had break periods called “Movement Snacks.” This was an awesome tool that was inspiring with a “learn as you go” style using practice exercises and conducting self assessments. The authors provided information from real world studies and interesting real life stories to make the subject matter approachable and interesting.
The exercises and programs provided are adaptable and designed for real people, they are meant be tailored to each persons individual needs. This book is not just about physical health but it also highlights the emotional and social benefits of walking, of embracing a “use it or lose it” mindset. The authors extensive knowledge, resources and studies provided credibility, inspiration and motivation. It is refreshing to read that many of the old concepts are being re-evaluated in light of new ideas. The theme of the book is about walking, but it does not diminish the importance of other fitness activities, it is more focused on walking that should be part of everyone’s core routine as we all strive for a healthy lifestyle.
The activity goals, exercises, resources and so much more, are culminated at the end of the book. I loved this section, a reader can quickly go to the section needed without having to search the whole book.
I highly recommend this book to read whether you are a non walker or already a motivated walker. You will find plenty of great information if you are looking to start a program and just need a simple path. For those who are interested in enhancing your already robust walking program, there is a tremendous amount of valuable information in this “out of the box” book to enhance your individual goals. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.