New year, new health and fitness goals. If you're kicking off 2022 with the desire to achieve the toned, fit body of your dreams, lose weight, and/or establish a self-care routine you love, there are countless places to seek inspiration. Actively listening to what your body needs, celebrating your emotional wellbeing, and motivating yourself to get up and exercise are all key players in the game. But, we have to admit, it really helps when you have relatable role models on your side who are striving to crush the mind and body game right along with you.
If you've been keeping up with Apple Fitness+ Time to Walk on your Apple Watch, then the "audio walking experience" may have changed the way you think about going for a daily walk—in a good way, of course. This refreshing episode series inspires users to work a simple exercise—aka walking—into their regular routines. And even though they aren't physically walking right next to you, each Time to Walk episode shines a spotlight on a special someone (like a celeb or musician) who discusses important stories, music, and pictures while also taking a walk.
The premiere of Time to Walk season three featured Pitch Perfect fave Rebel Wilson, and it's a must-listen. So grab your walking shoes, and be sure to tune in as Wilson shines a spotlight on the road she took to losing weight. In the meantime, we'll give you some of the highlights, including how she dropped 75 pounds.
During Wilson's Time to Walk episode, she revealed how much walking on the daily can make a real difference in living your best, healthiest life. "My goal was to get healthier and lose the bodyweight I didn't want. I knew deep down that I wasn't the healthiest version of myself because of work commitments," Wilson said.
She shared that an Austrian health retreat she took part in gave her a fresh outlook on achieving her health goals. "An Austrian doctor said 'Rebel, the best way for you to lose unwanted body fat is by just simply walking, it doesn't have to be high intensity or uphill… just simply walk an hour a day," the actress noted.
Wilson kicked off 2020 like many of us do: with a new health and fitness plan. But the key here is she did things slow and steady, and she really reaped the results.
"It just made me think: OK I should take it a bit easier on myself, and just do it gently and do it lightly. So in 2020, I lost weight but very, very gradually. Sometimes I kicked up things a notch with some workouts and went hard. But, the majority of the work for the year was just doing things like walking for an hour," she said. This "simple solution," as Wilson dubbed it, is exactly that—a simple, healthy activity you can work into your life that can make an actual difference in your overall wellbeing.
Fast-forward to 2022, and Wilson is blessing us all with inspiration on her Instagram account, with her latest post being a photo of herself posing in a turquoise-colored workout 'fit by an infinity pool. The caption reads: "Rebel Rising #2022." (We support that vibe, Wilson!)
Related: Over 60? These 5 Walking Tips Will Help You Lose Weight
It can't be stressed enough: Carving time out of your day for a walk works wonders for your mental and physical health. According to a recent study, taking a quick 10-minute stroll can enhance your mood. Plus, nothing beats breathing in the fresh air and taking a scenic route!
In addition, researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada concluded in a study that walking at the right pace for you helps you lose fat effectively.
To be in the know about even more ways walking and exercise can improve your health and fitness goals, check out Secret Side Effects of Walking Just 30 Minutes Per Day, Says Science and 5 Best Health Benefits of Walking, Says Science.