The sporting goods sector is an enormous, multi-billion dollar industry market. In common with other retailers and manufacturers, the sports and leisure sector receives a massive boost over the festive season. As a matter of fact, the sports sector usually sees a bit of a double bubble at this time of year.
Many people will be giving sports related gifts over the festive season. Exercise shoes – generally as worn by well known sporting personalities are evergreen favorites. Team uniforms and logo festooned sportswear are also gifts that are normally well received. A huge range of sporting items – from crossbows to golf clubs and everything in between – will be wrapped up and placed under the Christmas tree.
When the results of the festivities on waistlines becomes obvious a week or two later, New Year’s resolutions involving shedding a few pounds and getting back in shape will be made. Some of those Xmas presents will be put to use for the first time as people set off for running tracks, parks and gyms to get rid of a few pounds and to get in better shape.
This is definitely very commendable, and there will be some – a few probably – who will continue their exercise program in the long term. Once their initial enthusiasm wears off, many will fall by the wayside. It’s only natural – it’s hard to find the time, the energy and the motivation to exercise sometimes. Fitting it around the demands of family life and a job can be difficult.
However, there’s no need to get dressed from head to toe in fluorescent Lycra and drag yourself to the gym for an hour or two of huffing and puffing. There’s no need to spend a fortune on special fitness equipment or to commit to costly monthly gym membership fees. A walking exercise program is one of the most effective ways of getting in shape and losing a little weight.
It also has a dropout rate which is considerably lower than many other exercise formats – possibly due to the fact that it is a low injury risk form of exercise. It might be easy to assume that, because walking is a low intensity exercise mode, it won’t do you a great deal of good – but that would be a mistaken belief. It takes more or less the same amount of energy to walk a mile as it does to jog it – and there will be a lot less stress on your muscles and joints when you are walking compared to when you are running.
You can fit walking into your day whenever it’s most convenient for you. If you can find the time in your daily schedule for a thirty minute to one hour walking session then that’s ideal. But if you find it easier to fit two or three shorter walking sessions into your daily routine then that’s not a big problem. Every little helps – and there is no shortage of different ways by which you can accommodate walking in your daily schedule.
The only thing that you really need in order to get started with your walking workout regime is a comfy pair of shoes. The key thing is that they fit you well – there’s no need to go for a big name brand. A decent pair of shoes will prove to be a much more worthwhile investment than fluorescent jogging pants, branded athletic tops or any of the other fads, gimmicks and crazes which seem to proliferate in the weight loss industry.
These days, you can buy walking shoes on the internet and you will often be able to find a bargain. If they don’t fit, you can normally send them back free of charge and either get your money back or get a new pair in a different size.
So, if you would like to lose a little weight following the festivities, remember that when it comes to weight loss exercises, walking is cheap, convenient and effective.
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