Walking & Talking with Helen - Walking Workouts

A 10-minute power walk that helps you get some steps in fast. This is a short, upbeat walking workout you can do outside, or inside on a treadmill or walking pad. 

It's awesome for those days when you don’t have time, don’t feel like doing more, or just need to snap out of whatever mood you’re in.

This week I am dealing with a few unexpected deadlines and pet emergencies (mood = nervous and stressed). So I am bringing back one of my most downloaded walks of all time (originally published in May of 2024). 

If you just need a quick 10-minute burst for energy, it's time to walk.

There’s background walking music to keep your pace, and a bell at the halfway point so you don’t have to think about anything but walking.

You can do this:
• on a quick break
• after dinner
• when you’re tired but know you’ll feel better if you move (for sure)
• even walking in place at home, at the mall, or yes… Costco

Sometimes we just don't have time for a longer workout. But we also need to keep moving when we can. So this... is the way. A quickie.

Grab your shoes and come with me. Indoors, outdoors, upside down.

Press "Follow" so you'll be notified as new walks are released.

And you can always find me on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook @yourwalkingpodcast. Let's connect! (And on Threads I also tend to talk about my cats, so if you like cats, head on over!)

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If you’re feeling stuck or just bored with the same old day, this walk is calling your name.

You can do this walk outside, or inside on a treadmill or walking pad. Or even while cleaning or gardening.

It’s a little different. Part story, part real life, part “maybe it’s time to stop playing it so safe.”

Because you are way too interesting to be living the exact same day on repeat.

During our walk I wander into:

• what happens when you say yes to things you normally wouldn’t (scary… but also kind of amazing)
• what happened when I put everything I owned in storage and took off to travel the world
• how I managed to live on about $7K in lodging for a full year (so much cheaper than rent and utilities back home)
• why you don’t have to go far away to add some excitement

I also get into things like having just enough money for one more meal…, working remotely as a digital nomad (and waiting for clients to pay), and a few travel mishaps (and tips) along the way. 

There’s background walking music to keep you moving, and a bell at the halfway point if you want to turn around.

I may tell you travel stories, but this isn’t really about travel.

It’s about that moment where you realize… you don’t want your life to keep looking exactly like this.

You want something different. Something more.

And maybe you can’t make a big, dramatic change right now. That’s OK.

Sometimes the best changes start small. Yesireeeeee. 

Grab your sneakers and get your steps in.

PS. Did you say yes to something new this week? Let me know!
Instagram, Threads, or Facebook: @yourwalkingpodcast

Instagram, Threads or Facebook: @yourwalkingpodcast

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Let’s go for a walk and talk about the morning a man tried to shoot me. And that man may have been the Night Stalker.

This is my true story, and it will pull you in while you walk… making time fly.

Just a quick heads-up before we start: since this is a true crime story, we do talk about real-life violence.

So here’s the situation…

You’re 18. It’s early and still dark. You’re jogging with a Walkman (because, you know, the 80s).

A car pulls up. You lean in the window. And you’re staring straight into the barrel of a gun. Yes, a gun.

And because your brain has zero reference for what’s happening… you think it’s a joke.

As we walk I tell you what happened next, and why there’s a pretty good chance the man in that car could have been Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker.

I also wander into:

• My backstory growing up in the safe country of Norway
• Being 18, naive, and way too trusting for Los Angeles
• Working at the District Attorney’s office and reading real and gruesome case files all day (yikes)
• The moment it finally hit me… that the man with the gun wasn’t joking
• And the time I decided to be like a “fainting goat” (super helpful, body. Thanks)

This is a brisk walking workout to get your heart rate up (in more ways than one!). You’ll get about 1500-1700 steps in and maybe break a sweat. You can do this walk outside, or inside on a treadmill or walking pad.

There’s background walking music to keep your pace, and a bell at the halfway point so you know when to turn around (and so my story doesn’t take you down a rabbit hole and you have to call an Uber to get home).

Today’s walk is a little different. A little heavier. But also kind of fascinating. The things I have seen and done…
 
And if this walk made the time fly (or distracted you in a good way), tap Follow so your next walk is waiting for you.

You can also find me on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook @yourwalkingpodcast. 

And if you feel like supporting the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.

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A 10-minute ADHD-friendly walk for when your brain has 47 tabs open and won’t close a single one

This low-impact walking workout clears your head, lowers stress, and shakes off that brain fog.

This is a podcast you can listen to while walking outside, or inside on a treadmill or walking pad.

As we walk you’ll get real tips to quiet the noise in your head and stop overwhelm... ADHD or perfectionism be damned.

OMG Becky, and because this podcast rarely stays on a straight path, I also wander into:

• the night I ended up in my backyard in my pajamas screaming obscenities
• the classic fridge stare when you open it hoping cheese will solve your problems
• forgetting why you walked into a room (your kids and cats don’t know either)
• and a couple of brief musical moments (don't ask)

Go grab your sneakers because it’s time to get moving. In just 10 minutes you’ll feel so much better. 

This episode has background music to walk to, and a bell at the halfway point (so my stories don't send you on a wild journey).

And… if you liked this walk, tap Follow (yeah, baby) so the next walk is waiting for you.

And if you feel like saying hi (so I know I’m not just wandering around talking to myself), you can find me on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook @yourwalkingpodcast.

If this episode made your walk more entertaining, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify to help more people find the show.

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The Japanese Walking Method sounds intense. It’s not. Each round is just three minutes, and the stories make this 20-minute low-impact interval walk fly by.

3 minutes brisk.
3 minutes easy.
Repeat 3 times.
Done.

That’s it.

This is a fun walking workout that builds some stamina, boosts cardiovascular fitness, and gives your heart a little challenge without numbing your brain. It’s great for beginners and those who want a stronger push. You’re in charge of the  effort. The structure keeps you moving. How cool is that?

You can do this walk inside at home on a treadmill or walking pad, or outside in the fresh air.

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

And we’re not staring at a clock for 20 minutes (tik… tok).

While we switch between brisk walking and recovery I’m taking you to Japan with me, telling true (and slightly ridiculous) stories, including:

• Why I was hysterically crying at the Narita Tokyo airport
• The stranger who chased me down at the bullet train station and saved me from a big embarrassment
• And the high-tech bidet joke that completely bombed in my spin class. Absolute crickets. 

The Japanese Walking Method works because those short bursts of effort make your heart work harder than steady strolling. But (drumroll) they’re short enough that you don’t dread them. (“Wait… they’re over already?”)

By the end, you’ll probably say one of my favorite things:
“That went fast.”

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

If you enjoyed this walk, tap Follow so next week’s 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.

And if this episode made your walk better and “funner” (not a real word), leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify helps more people find the show.

I’ll see you on the next walk.

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Want more energy? This 10-minute power break walk clears brain fog, fixes your mood, and helps you feel more awake... quick as a bunny. It's a podcast you can walk to at home indoors or outside.

The slump is real, no matter the time of day. 

But what if, instead of crashing, you could recharge in just 10 minutes? Yeah, baby. Now we’re talking. 

This isn’t a punishing workout. It’s a quick reset walk for your body and your brain. 

Put on your walking shoes. It's time to walk! Head out with me (or hop or your treadmill/walking pad). 

You'll get:

• A simple trick to break up the day and beat brain fog
• Some ADHD-fueled observations to keep you entertained
• A tip I picked up from Billy Idol (my pretend husband since 1984)

P.S. You’ll hear a bell halfway through. If you’re outside, that’s your cue to turn around and head back.

Encore episode: Originally published September 28, 2025

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A 15-minute power walk that will reset your mind, mood, and momentum. Get about 1500 steps in along with a few laughs.  

This is a low-impact walking workout you can do at home or outside… a quick energy boost when drift happens and you want to get back on track. 

It's an anti-guilt trip. If you’ve “fallen off” the wagon… who cares? We aren’t starting over; we’re just stepping back in and picking up where we left off.

This is a podcast to listen to while walking indoors on a treadmill or walking pad, or outside (I’ll ring the bell at the halfway point so you don’t end up in the next zip code).

We’ll play the “green light” game to spike your heart rate (with some sneaky intervals), and chat about how you create energy (and re-motivate yourself) by just moving your body.

I also wander off into: how my cat Mango gets me out of bed in the morning (possibly involving his litter box), my accidental alternator expertise, something I’m very afraid of, Rolodex cards (do you know what those are?), how not “Break My Stride” and instead “Shake Your Groove Thing” on a “Manic Monday.” 

You’ll finish this walk with a “mental screenshot” and hopefully be in a better mood. Plus, I added a few OUTTAKES at the end that didn’t make it into the episode (shhhh).

Follow so the next walk is waiting for you when the drift happens again.

“Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock ’n’ roll and drift away…”

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Too exhausted to work out? This 10-minute low-impact coached walk gives you energy, clears some brain fog, and gets you around 1,000 steps... in less time than it takes to drink a coffee. 

It’s a quickie walk for days when you feel like a zombie but still want to do something (for your body and mental health).  

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

 If you’re walking outside, there’s a bell at the halfway point so you know when to turn around… without having to think about it.   

While we walk we’ll energize with some easy breathing, glute squeezing (your own glutes), and I’ll give you tips to get your energy back super fast.

You’ll feel more awake, maybe a little happier (yihaa!), and glad you moved, even on a day ya’ almost skipped it. And no beating yourself up. The "caffeine queen" says so. 

I also wander off into Hashimoto’s disease, 1000 cats, not drinking coffee until the age of 37, missing out the whole 80s cocaine craze, and Shakira (whenever, wherever).

Tap follow so the next walk is waiting for you. 

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Walk 1 mile in about 15 minutes while we time-travel back to the 80s for a fun blast of Gen X fitness nostalgia.

You can do this at-home walking workout anywhere: March in your living room, hop on a treadmill or walking pad, or just take it outside. It’s the podcast to listen to while walking.

Hit play if you want:

• A quick 1-mile walk 
• Easy cardio at home that fits into your busy day
• About 1500 steps
• A fast way to improve your mood and shake off stress

(Walking outside? There’s a bell at the halfway point so you know when to turn around!)

Along the way, we chat about the best (and weirdest) 1980s fitness crazes, including:

• Jane Fonda and her living-room workouts
• Richard Simmons and all that oldies joy
• Gin Miller and the rise of step aerobics (pun intended)
• Jazzercise, Callanetics, and the whole “feel the burn” era
• Suzanne Somers and the ThighMaster that had us all squeezing in our living rooms
• The Crystal Light National Aerobics Championship

Plus, my ADHD brain takes a few detours into: shin splints, unitards, Flashdance, Olivia Newton-John, the flat chest and flat booty goal, and that you should drink water (and not vodka) afterwards.

Tap Follow so your next walk is waiting for you!

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In 15 minutes, turn your metabolism's dimmer switch from “dim” back to “bright.” 

Increase your energy and wake up a sluggish metabolism with this low-impact walking workout. 

During the walk you’ll also get simple science-backed hacks that boost your metabolism all day, every day. And... we’ll do three short speed pushes to help flip that switch in real life (but you don't have to push. You can walk at your own pace!).

The best part: You can do this walk at home or outside. March in your living room, hop on a treadmill or walking pad, or head out the door. (There’s a bell at the halfway point so you don’t have to check your watch.)

And did you know?

• The “Special Agent” Muscle: Acts like a vacuum for blood sugar… even while you sit (yippee!).
• The Short-and-Fast Hack: Why small bursts of “hustle” (like trying to catch a bus) can cut your risk of dying from heart disease by almost 40%.
• The “WD-40” Effect: How moving your arms while you walk can grease your stiff arteries and flood your tired brain with oxygen. Yihaa!

I also get sidetracked and talk about…

Almost destroying my calves with back-to-back massages in Thailand (oops). My “digital nomad” days with nearly unlimited coffee and pastries while walking through foreign cities (because I could not figure out the bus system). And who was in the 80s supergroup The Power Station? Inquiring minds want to know.

Press play to turn on that metabolism. Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on…

Tap Follow so your next walk is waiting for you.

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