Forget complicated workout plans and intimidating gym equipment. For this generation, getting fit can sometimes be as simple as putting on your shoes and… walking. Whether it’s a 10k-step target, a post-meal stroll, or a long walk with a friend, walking has quietly become a wellness ritual that fits into almost any schedule.
No destination, no problem
For 23-year-old Lakshya Roy, walking is part fitness, part escape, and part daydreaming session. “I’m not a person who usually goes to the gym, so I usually walk in my room itself,” he says. His personal goal? To work up a sweat. “At the back of my mind, fitness is also there, because who loves being fat at home doing nothing and just lying down on the bed?”For Rahul Mohanto, 28, walking became part of his life when he moved to a new city alone for his first job. It wasn’t about fitness; it was about figuring life out. “Whenever my head felt too crowded, I would step out and just walk,” he says.He still walks to clear his head. “It’s almost like a brainstorming session with myself,” he says.
Vibing while walking
For Divya Israni, a daytime walk comes with coffee in hand. “I carry a coffee in my hand whenever I walk from my favourite cafe to the office,” she says, adding that walking helps her step away from screens. Lakshya Roy’s ritual is more social: “For me, while walking, it’s always AirPods plugged into my ears and a call with a friend at the same time.”Rahul Mohanto prefers a soundtrack, usually 120–130 BPM. “It somehow makes the walk feel less like exercise and more like I’m in my own little montage,” he says, although on hectic days, he switches to spiritual tracks.“Instead of sitting at a café, my friends and I just go for a walk and talk for an hour. It’s become our favourite way to catch up while getting our steps in” – Divya Israni, 27“Walking is almost like a brainstorming session with myself. I step out with a crowded head and often return with a clearer perspective or even a solution” – Rahul Mohanto, 28, Delhi
