Momentum Challenge 2026 Recap

In March I had this crazy idea.... What if we walked around the world… or more realistically across America together?

I was on a walk… the way I do my best thinking… and I kept coming back to one question:

Why is movement the first thing to fall off when life gets hard?

It's free. It's simple. Nothing creates health momentum faster.

So I posted the idea online and 61 people said YES.

The Momentum Challenge was born and we all participated April 1–30, 2026.

It was 30 days with 61 people on a mission to walk as many steps as we could. Together.

I polled the group and before the challenge, our group was walking an average of 6,040 steps per day. Most of us thought we were doing pretty well. We were about to find out otherwise.

After the challenge? The group average went up to 9,793 steps/day!!! That’s a 62% increase in daily movement. In 30 days. Just by walking.

HOW FAR WE WENT

Together, we walked 10,693,557 steps. That's across the entire United States — Maine to California (2,800 miles). Plus across Alaska, and more.

Here's what people started noticing after just two weeks:

ENERGY

"More energy! I’m actually able to run for short distances!" — E.H.

"I feel a deep sense of ease from walking. I feel mentally refreshed and energized." — K.J.

"Increase in energy and walking outside has been wearing my little one out 😂" — M.M.

Walking increases mitochondrial density - a.k.a. your cells literally get better at producing energy. It also improves oxygen delivery to every tissue in your body.

SLEEP

"Sleep has improved." — Z.B.

"Sleeping well and feeling ready to move in the morning." — K.H.

"Sleep was great." — N.L.

"Falling asleep earlier." — K.O.

"Better sleep." — A.H.

"Energy has improved. Dreaming more 😳" — D.W.

Walking regulates cortisol, lowers core body temperature, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system — all signals your body uses to initiate deep sleep.

BODY + WEIGHT

"Lost a couple pounds." — K.B.

"Lost weight." — R.M.

"Legs look more toned." — M.J.

"Starting to really see a difference in my body — slimming down — and feeling less bloated." — K.J.

"Body feels better overall on the days I get a lot of steps in." — E.J.

Walking is one of the most powerful blood sugar regulation tools in existence. A 10-minute walk after meals blunts the post-meal glucose spike that silently damages blood vessels over time.

MENTAL HEALTH

"Better mental health when spending more time outside." — S.D.

"I feel a little tiny Dr. Hailey on my shoulders encouraging me to get out for even just a five-minute walk." — N.L.

'I mostly notice the mental improvements. I just feel happier and calmer when I get enough movement in.' — E.B.

Walking increases serotonin, dopamine, and BDNF — the exact same pathways targeted by antidepressants. Without the prescription.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 30 DAYS?

😴 33% reported improved sleep

⚡ 30% reported increased energy

⚖️ 15% reported weight loss

🩸 Blood sugar normalized (reported by multiple participants)

💪 Muscle mass increased, fat decreased (measured by scale data)

🏃 Cardio fitness improved (Fitbit-confirmed)

🧠 Mental health and mood improved across the board

Here's what some of the community reported:

"I lost 7 lbs. I now have more energy and no longer get sore after walking. I am sleeping better than I have in years." — Eric

"Before this challenge I was barely getting 4,500 steps a day. This April I averaged 8,443. It's wild how a walk feels like a breath of fresh air." — Krystina

"I was only walking 1,000–2,000 steps a day. Now I'm walking 5,000–8,000. More energy. Food cravings diminished. Sleeping better." — Peggy

"I was averaging 7,500 steps a day. Now I'm averaging 12,000. My Fitbit says my cardio fitness has improved." — Katie B.

"My steps went from an average of 6,900 to 10,750. It helped me feel energized postpartum while also wearing out my baby and my dog." — Mikel

"I started biking to work to get more steps in. My legs feel stronger than ever." — Katie O.

"My movement was very minimal outside the office until I started the challenge. After work I found myself exploring my neighborhood." — Zairy

"My Hume scale showed my muscle mass increased and my fat decreased. All by just walking." — Emily

"Current impact of walking and resistance training has lowered my blood sugar." — Jerry

Thank you to the amazing participants of the Momentum Challenge 2026! We raised over $700 for the Heishman Healing Foundation, walked across the U.S. (and more), and reclaimed our health one step at a time. You all are so inspiring!

-Dr. Hailey