Ashley Tisdale has been open and honest about her post-baby recovery and I respect that. It doesn’t seem like she’s doing it out of a need to get headlines, either. She comes across like a genuine person and not like someone cultivating vulnerability for her public image. Ashley and her husband, Christopher French, welcomed daughter Jupiter in March. She’s since said that she’s struggled with her body image, especially after seeing other women on Instagram. She’s also been open about struggling with her mental health and how she’s still recovering physically. Ashley is doing better and instead of claiming that she’s toned up “running around” after her daughter or admitting to working out multiple times a day, she said she’s just been walking – a lot. She tries to get in 14,000 steps a day and it’s made a huge difference.
[Ashley Tisdale], 36, has been working to improve her fitness since her daughter Jupiter’s arrival in March, with some ups and downs. But in the last few weeks, Tisdale said in a series of posts on her Instagram Story, she discovered that just walking is extremely effective.
The new mom posted a video showing off her stomach, and said that “this is the first time I feel comfortable in a snug t-shirt since being pregnant.”
“Getting back with my trainer @harleypasternak has changed my body tremendously and honestly it’s all about getting your steps in,” she said. “His method isn’t hard and my body isn’t left feeling like I tortured it. I can’t believe what my body has gone through over the last year and a half. I’m so grateful for it and honestly can’t believe how strong I feel.”
Tisdale said that she walks at least 14,000 steps a day, often taking Zoom meetings while pounding the pavement. “All I do is walk lol but it’s effective,” she said.
[Ashley] said that walking has done more than other workouts.
“I’m only sharing this because after months of working hard and trying everything, these small changes in the last three weeks is what have done the most,” she said. “It’s the difference of how I feel. It’s all about moving, finding ways of walking. Taking the dogs out with the baby for a stroll, taking meetings while walking vs. sitting.”
“It’s honestly what has helped my mental health as well,” she added. “Having the extra energy from anxiety, just taking a walk and putting on a walking meditation always makes me feel better.”
I work from home and usually do exercises like spinning and Zumba. Sometimes I hike an hour or take a 30 minute walk. The only days I go over 10,000 steps are on weekends when I spend a few hours hiking. I’m slow, but in my defense I do hike in the mountains. 14,000 steps is seven miles. If you’re averaging a 20 minute mile that would take about two and a half hours. I wonder if Ashley has a treadmill desk or something like that. That would explain how she can Zoom and walk at the same time, right?
How cute is her family?!
Photos via Instagram
I walk that much daily on vacation but it’s hard when you are at a desk 8-9 hours 5 days per week and now cold winter is coming.
Can I say OMG, those are cute baby pic’s!
My morning & afternoon breaks are always walking breaks. Those steps add up. After work, just dress appropriately. Just start small & bit by bit you’ll get there.
going for daily hour-long walks has been a lifesaver for me during the pandemic…
me too. Walking made my legs so much stronger. And just being active throughout the day does a lot for mental health.
My daily goal is set to 8,000 but I’ve only reached it a handful of times because I keep leaving my tracker at home lol. But 14,000 every day is a lot (in a good way!). I’m normally exhausted after 10,000. Good for her. We need to talk more about fitness and getting out more. A friend of mine has been posting a lot of workout content to her feed and it’s been a great reminder to get up and do even a handful of exercises.
I’m struggling with trying to be more active. I have a 2 and 5 year old, plus work a desk job 8-5, M-F. I am exhausted by the time I get my kids to bed. I am just not a morning person either, so getting up earlier is so hard!!!!!
I have a walking desk and it’s the best thing ever (and it was surprisingly affordable).
I zoomed with someone with a treadmill desk and it was so bizarre! I’ve wanted one ever since.
It’s cool to hear a celebrity recognize what I’ve been saying for years. There are so much benefits from walking. First of all, our bodies have evolved for long distance walking so it’s one of the easiest and most effective forms of exercise for us. 2. It’s a pretty easy habit to form. As Ashley said, you don’t feel overly beat up and exhausted so doing it daily doesn’t feel like as much of a chore. 3. As a pack a day smoker, when I’m consistently doing my daily walks, I notice very measurable lung function improvement. 4. It does wonders for your core and back. I started on an antidepressant and gained a shit ton of weight very rapidly (about 70lbs in under 6 months, I’m 5’2). Bc of the depression i wasn’t keeping up with my walking. I developed extreme back pain bc I didn’t have the strength to hold up all that extra weight (which, since I’m built like a teddy Graham, was all in my midsection). I eventually got myself moving again and all back pain is gone. Plus holding yourself upright works out your back and core do it helps pull in your belly. 5. It’s a great excuse for office workers to make sure they take their lunch break. I could usually get in about two miles. Which leads to 6. It’s a really gentle way to get your endorphins going. Taking that walk during lunch helped me get through the stress of the job and walking after work helped me leave it there. But in general, having extra endorphins running through your system throughout the day just helps keep your mental health in check. Plus even though you don’t feel like you’re working out, your body does know it and therefore keeps your appetite in check for a few hrs more a day so it helps you lose weight.
Pro tip: if you are new to it, don’t set any goals but to be consistent. Bring some music, an audiobook, a phone call, etc and just enjoy yourself. Choose a place with scenery you like. After a while you’ll notice you are doing it more or getting through a route quicker.
Clearly, this is for able bodied people. I wish I had advice for those who literally can’t make a habit of walking but I don’t. Would love to hear from you though.
I am with you, I started walking while listening to an audiobook, and it has completely changed my health. I added Peloton when my neighbors turned their garage into a gym during the pandemic and were happy for me to share, but the walking is what really turned things around for me.
I find it’s easy to get my steps as long as I am zoning out to an audiobook, my dogs are healthier too!
I usually walk that every day and I’m twice her age. Having an Apple Watch that keeps track of steps is my obsession and I’m usually more tuned in to my calorie burn than actual steps. I try to burn 700 calories a day and the steps can really vary-it’s all about how strenuous the walking is. I’m also amazed on how many steps you put in around the house and going up and down stairs and just running errands. Dog and I usually walk twice a day and first walk is usually 45-60 minutes. I’m not dieting at all-just always eating healthy but usually have a homemade choc chip cookie or Trader Joe’s bonbon after dinner. I lost weight fast after both babies because I was in my 30’s. Now in my 60’s it’s hard. I have the gift of time to exercise and I feel for people juggling little kids and full time jobs. So difficult to find time for yourselves and exercise. Whenever celebrities mention their personal trainers I kind of roll my eyes, but I agree with her about walking. It’s the best and I listen to books on audible and my favorite podcasts (Smartless, Pod Save America) so I’m multitasking!
I love to walk. I used to run but my 50 yo knees can’t take that as much anymore. I have a golden retriever and we walk at least 1 1/2 hours every day but as she’s getting older she’s slowing down and preferring to spend the time sniffing and to sit waiting for people to walk by and pet her! I have a standing desk but am definitely thinking about the treadmill one.
Yes, my doodle is 12 and she likes a sedate pace and flat or downhill walks and so much sniffing. I have to coax her up a steep hill but I understand-I’m no spring chicken either!
I’ve lost 48 pounds since September last year by walking 12000-14000 steps a day and cutting out sugar. I was completely sedentary before. It really made my legs stronger and toned as well. When I started I could barely do 5000 steps continuously. Walking really helps especially if like me you can’t do high impact stuff. But it doesn’t work overnight:)
Honestly- personal trainer here for 19 years and now working in healthcare in BC Canada. I know ALOT about the body on the training level. Only pointing this out to help with some advice. Getting out and walking periodically (during lunch- to the train etc etc) can help. The thing with ALOT of walking for women (and 2.5 hours a day is a lot) is that you can get overuse injuries if done all at once. Our pelvis is wider and we can compress structures around the hip. Get up and do 15 here, 15 there etc etc
I’m obsessed with walking as exercise. I’ve switched from my more strenuous gym workouts to simply walking daily, because I felt burnt out. I’m finding it much less tedious than the fast paced stuff, and very effective.
But yeah, I’m not sure how many steps I take … does 14,000 seem like a lot? I don’t have a fitness tracker so I’m not sure what the average is or how long that would take?
In my experience, it takes about 90 minutes to hit 10k, walking steadily. So you could add on another 45 min for 14k, give or take. 🙂
I am in love with walking and hiking and have done more this year than ever (I turned 50 in June). I’m incredibly lucky to be living in a small town with access to several rail to trail walks, many that pass through incredibly beautiful natural areas and farmland. My 77 year old dad and I go walking almost daily and it has been life-changing, mentally and physically. I cannot recommend walking enough, it’s so wonderful. I prefer no distractions apart from talking and what I see around me, but any walking by any means is good.
I used to walk a lot – not even intentionally really, just as a matter of life from my car to wherever I was going – to drop the boys off at daycare, from my car to my office, I took the steps at work as much as possible, and i would go for a walk in the afternoons at work to sort of clear my head, even if it was just laps around the floors inside. and then on the days I teleworked I was usually running so basically 10k steps a day was nothing for me.
Now, with FT teleworking and the bus stop being one house away, even with a walk I rarely break 10k steps. I know I need to walk more – I work out a lot but i can feel the difference in my legs between when I used to regularly get 10k or more steps and now. Yesterday I took 3900 steps. It’s been really eye-opening during the past 18 months to realize how sedentary I am when i’m just home all the time. Those steps from the car to the office or up and down stairs etc really added up.
I’m also way into walking. I did 25k today. I’m on vacation.