Walking & Talking with Helen - Walking Workouts

Think walking doesn't count as exercise? Get your steps in with this 15-minute guided fitness walk that'll get your heart pumping and prove otherwise.
 
You don't have to run, sweat buckets, or crawl home exhausted to get a good workout. And you definitely don't have to "graduate" from walking to running. Been there, done that, not doing it again. 
 
In this (mostly) steady walk, we're starting easy, picking up the pace for a sustained moderate effort, and then easing back down. All while chatting about ways you can adjust your walks to your fitness level. Plus, I apparently have one… little… surprise for you. 
 
Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad. 
 
Here's what you'll get:

• About 1,500-1,800 steps
• A moderate-to-brisk walking workout that supports your heart health 
• A stress-busting break to clear your head and improves your mood 
• Simple ways to make walking more challenging without ever having to jog 
• A walking buddy to keep you company

And because I tend to wander off-topic (thanks ADHD), I also chat about:

• How accidentally calling Duran Duran a "boy band" got me 600 angry comments online 
• Wondering where my strong legs disappeared to
• Why my 90+-year-old Norwegian aunt was onto something 
• Carrying a fat cat for extra workout resistance

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background music, pace changes, and walking cues.
 
Grab your sneakers and discover the mental and physical benefits of walking. 
 
Follow the podcast, and find me at @yourwalkingpodcast.

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Bizarre park statues, surprise speed bursts, and quirky memories make this 25-minute fartlek walk anything but ordinary.

Fartlek. Yup, that's a real word. 

It's Swedish (and Norwegian!) for "speed play," which basically means we get to play with our walking speed. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower, and without the structure of standard intervals. Just random bursts to keep you on your toes. 

Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad. Note that if you’re walking on a treadmill or walking pad, it’s harder to change speed quickly. You can pump your arms more for the harder parts, or step with more purpose. You don’t have to speed up. 

Here's what you’ll get in this fartlek walk:

• About 2,200–2,500 steps
• Stories to keep things interesting
• A virtual walk through Oslo's hillside sculpture park, Ekebergparken
• Faster bursts to challenge yourself
• Slower parts to catch your breath
• More energy from moving
• A walking buddy to keep you company

And because I tend to drift (thanks ADHD), I also chat about:

• Screaming "Give me some fart!" while sledding with cousins in Norway
• Thinking Creedence Clearwater Revival is singing "There's a bathroom on the right" instead of "bad moon on the rise"
• Running toward a statue of a woman squatting just because I was hoping she had found a toilet
• Airport security flagging my bag because a good-luck troll looked like a startled tiny fetus on the X-ray

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background walking music and walking cues to help you change pace.

No need to watch the clock or worry about keeping up. Just follow along, play with your speed, and see where the next 25 minutes takes us. 

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.
Find me at @yourwalkingpodcast.

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Get your steps in with a 15-minute brisk walk full of backstage stories, rock stars, and a few things that went a little wrong.

How does a broke single mom with no photography experience end up photographing bands like Linkin Park, Blue October, All-American Rejects and KISS?

It all started because I couldn't afford concert tickets for my son's birthday.

Since desperation breeds action, I made a few phone calls and suddenly had a photo pass, an interview with a lead singer, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.

You can walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad.

While we walk, you'll get:

• About 1,700 steps
• A brisk walk with pace changes
• More energy
• A story to distract you from the clock
• A walking buddy to keep you company

And because things rarely go as planned, I also...

• Nearly get blown away by Linkin Park's speakers
• Interview The Bravery’s vocalist without a recorder
• Photograph All-American Rejects while sick with a fever
• Drive to see KISS with screeching brakes

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental walking music and speed cues. 

Grab your sneakers and head out for a walk while I spill the rock music tea. 

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.

Find me at @yourwalkingpodcast.
 

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Want to help me grow?

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A 10-minute after-dinner walk to help digestion, reduce blood sugar spikes, and shake off that sluggish feeling.

Dinner's over. The sofa is calling. And if there's a cat on your lap, well, you're legally required to stay there. I don't make the rules.

No "burning off" dinner and definitely no guilt. Just 10 minutes to move a little and maybe start a new walking habit that actually sticks.

Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill, walking pad, or marching in place. And remember, it's not just for after dinner. 

This little post-meal walk gives you:

• About 1,100 steps
• A little movement to help your digestion
• A break from the day's stress
• An easy habit you can repeat after meals
• A walking buddy to keep you company
• Separate cool-down after the 10-minute main walk

And because I tend to drift (thanks ADHD), I also..

• Tell you why the sitting on sofa reminds me of A Nightmare on Elm Street
• Reveal the secret law of cats sitting on laps
• Share my “Frosted Mini-Wheats before spin class” disaster
• Wonder why we only remember to walk after Thanksgiving dinner

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background walking music, and walking cues.

So before you settle into the sofa for the night, give yourself 10 minutes, a few steps, and maybe the start of a new after-dinner habit. Yihaa! Grab your sneakers and let's goooo.

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.
 

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Get your steps in, find a little more energy, and take a break from your day with this 10-minute brisk walk.

Only have 10 minutes? That's enough. Let's make it count. Stories and upbeat music give your brain something to do besides think about the clock.

You can walk outside, or at home on a treadmill, walking pad, or marching in place. Or even step touch, my Gen X friends.

This short walking break gives you:

• About 1,300 steps
• A brisk walk that fits into a busy day
• More energy from getting up and moving
• A mental break from all the noise (yes!)
• A few stories to help time fly by

And because I tend to drift (thanks ADHD), I also...

• Wonder if penguins have legs at 2 a.m. 
• Talk about swallowing a bug on a scooter in Norway
• Get Go, Dog. Go! stuck in your head
• Remember why an $800 car repair once made me cry

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background walking music with walking and speed cues.

You don't need an hour to get movement in. Give yourself a 10-minute exercise snack. Because, as I say, something is always better than nothing. And every step counts. 

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.

Today's question: What's one small moment from your life that you still remember years later? Leave a comment on Spotify or find me at @yourwalkingpodcast. 

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A 10-minute guided walk with fun ways to make walking less boring, get more steps in, and actually look forward to your next walk.

Don't really feel like walking? I get it! Let's find something to keep your brain entertained so you're not staring at the clock.

Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad.

We’ll rock the free world by getting:

• About 1,300 steps
• New ideas to keep your next walk from getting boring
• Distraction tricks for when you don't feel like walking
• A little boost of energy
• A quick game to play while we move

And because I tend to drift (thanks ADHD), I also...

• Talk about sending my sandals out to sea
• Muse about visiting a baby goat farm
• Somehow turn 19,000 steps into 19,000 miles
• Admit we played the color game in the car so kids would shut up

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background walking music, walking cues, and a bell at the halfway point.

Walking doesn't have to feel like something you just need to get over with. Come for a walk with me. Before you know it, your 10 minutes are done.

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.

I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment on Spotify or tag your walk with #WalkTalkWithHelen on social media. 

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This guided walking meditation helps quiet your mind, clear your head, and take a break from all those racing thoughts.

If the idea of sitting perfectly still and trying to empty your mind sounds impossible (boring, weird), this one's for you.

You know that brain with about a zillion tabs open at once? Always planning something, making a list, replaying a conversation, or thinking about something completely unrelated? Yep, that one.

During this walk, you’ll notice your steps, pay attention to how your body feels, and breathe a little. And yes, your mind is probably going to wander. Mine does too.

You can do this relaxing walk outside, on a treadmill, or on a walking pad. There’s low-key - but not sleepy - background music to keep you moving.

The goal isn't an empty head. It's just giving your busy brain somewhere else to go for a little while.

This guided meditation is good for those days when:

• your brain won't turn off
• you're mentally scattered or overwhelmed
• you want to clear your mind
• sitting still to meditate sounds awful
• you just need to walk some stress off

 
 Go grab your shoes and let's head out on a walk. 

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Three minutes brisk. Three minutes easy. Repeat. That’s basically the Japanese Walking Method, and it makes a 20 minute walk go surprisingly fast.

This is a structured but simple interval walking workout that gives you stronger pushes followed by recoveries. You’re in charge of the effort, and the recovery periods give you a chance to catch your breath and listen to stories from Japan before we pick it up again. 

You can do this walk outside, on a treadmill, or on a walking pad.

If you’re walking outside, you’ll hear a bell halfway through so you know when to turn around.

As we walk, I’ll share some stories from Japan including:

• Why I was crying my eyes out at Tokyo Narita Airport
• The stranger who chased me down at the bullet train station and saved me from embarrassment
• The high-tech bidet joke that later completely bombed in my spin class. 

Put on your walking shoes. Grab your headphones. Let’s go catch a Japanese bullet train.

If you enjoyed this walk, tap Follow so the next workout is waiting for you. 

And if you feel like saying hi (so I’m not just screaming into the void), you can find me on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook @yourwalkingpodcast.

(This encore episode was originally published March 3, 2026.)

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A 15-minute brisk story walk with a wild travel adventure to keep you entertained, distracted, and moving while you get your steps in.

Need to walk but don't really feel like it? Come with me! I'll tell you the true story of a 10-hour tour through beautiful Montenegro that turned into one of the scariest car rides of my life.

Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad.

You’ll get:

• About 1,900 steps 
• A brisk walk without watching the clock 
• A mental break from your day 
• A few laughs along the way 
• More energy from getting up and moving 
• A walking buddy to keep you company

Things did not go according to plan...

• Five sweaty strangers crammed into one tiny car
• A guide texting and watching YouTube while driving up a mountain
• Taking off my seatbelt so I could jump out if we went off a cliff
• Free ice cream for surviving part of the tour
• A little wine to dull the fear (and I don’t even drink)

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background music, walking cues, and a bell at the halfway point if you want to turn around.

So grab your shoes and come with me. I'll distract you with a ridiculous story from my time as a middle-aged digital nomad, we'll get some movement in, and 15 minutes later we're done.

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.
 

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Been sitting too long? Take 10 minutes to wake up those sleepy glutes, give your butt a break from the chair, and get moving with this quick guided walk.

We'll also play around with your walking stride to see if you can get your glutes doing a little more of the work (or glute activation).

Walk outside, or at home on a treadmill or walking pad.

In this quick walk you’ll get:

• About 1,300 steps
• A quick break from sitting too long
• Easy ways to wake up sleepy glutes
• Walking and posture tweaks
• A few walking ideas to fire up your glutes
• The 55-minute timer trick

And because I tend to drift (thanks ADHD), I also...

• Explain why my butt is apparently on vacation
• Turn into a five-foot tall Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Discover the first step to using my exercise step... is opening the box
• Decide my butt does not need a 14-step morning routine

This podcast to walk to includes upbeat instrumental background walking music, walking cues, a few stride (not snide) experiments, and an optional cool-down.

If you've been stuck at your desk, in the car, or on the couch, get up and come walk with me. Your butt will thank you.

Don't forget to Follow the podcast.

I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment on Spotify or tag your walk with #WalkTalkWithHelen on social media.

Support the show

Want to help me grow?

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Get "the weird stuff" newsletter: the story behind the stories and new episodes (no spam, and I won't email you 10,000 times a day).