Would you like to shed a few pounds and lose some inches off your waistline? How about reducing the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack? Or would you like to increase the efficiency of your heart and lungs whilst reducing your blood pressure? Maybe you just want to feel better, avoid depression and have more energy in general?
That’s quite a list of health benefits there. You’re probably bracing yourself for a thinly veiled advertisement for the latest miracle health supplement or expecting details of an exercise program best suited for an Olympic athlete any minute now. Well you can relax – all of the aforementioned benefits are available to you just by doing something you do on a daily basis anyway – walking.
Walking must be very close to being the perfect form of exercise. Everyone knows how to do. There’s no need to set foot inside a gym – and no inflated monthly membership fee to pay either. You can fit it into your daily routine when it’s convenient for you and you don’t need any specialised equipment.
A good, comfortable pair of shoes and some clothing suited to the climate and the environment that you’re in are the only things that you need to get started with a walking exercise schedule. If you don’t already have one, then you might also consider an mp3 player. This isn’t strictly necessary of course, but most people find that the time and the miles pass very quickly when they’re walking along listening to their favourite sounds.
Walking for as little as 30 minutes every day on a regular basis will soon make a difference. You will begin to realise all of the benefits previously mentioned – and the pounds will start to melt away. If you can work up to 10,000 steps a day – equivalent to about 5 miles – you will look good, feel great, have a lot more energy and be a good deal healthier. Again, it’s not strictly necessary, but you can pick up a cheap pedometer for around $10 these days. This will help you to keep track of how many steps you take. Most modern pedometers will also tell you how much distance you’ve covered and how many calories you’ve burned if that’s how you prefer to measure your progress.
If you suffer from any long term medical problems, if you are over 40 years of age or if you just haven’t taken exercise for some time, then you should definitely consult your doctor in advance of commencing any new fitness program. With that being said, as long as you’re sensible and start off gradually and build up over time, walking will most likely be very good for you. Walk to work. Walk to school. Leave the car and walk to the shops. Try to take a fifteen minute stroll around the block during your lunch hour. In no time at all you’ll be thinner, healthier, feeling great and enjoying life to the full.
Boost the efficiency of your workout using Fit flops exercise shoes. If you’re walking to lose weight or to tone up your lower body, they can make a real difference.