subject: Walking - A Great Low Impact Workout [print this page] Would you, like so many other people, like to shed a few pounds and take a few inches off your waistline? Maybe you would like to lower the probability of heart problems or a stroke? Lowering your blood pressure and increasing the efficiency of your heart and lungs might be important for you. Perhaps you want to avoid depression, have more energy and generally feel better?
It does sound like quite a shopping list of health benefits. However, if you're waiting for a plug for the latest wonder supplement (magic berries, harvested at midnight on the north facing slopes of Mount Fuji perhaps) or expecting details of an exercise regime suitable only for olympic athletes, then you can relax. Believe it or not, all of these benefits and a few more besides are available simply by doing something that you do everyday anyway walking.
Walking is a great form of exercise. Anyone can do it theres no need to visit the gym (and no costly monthly membership fees). You dont need any special exercise kit and you can fit it into your daily routine when its convenient for you.
All that you need to get started on your walking exercise program is a good pair of comfortable shoes and some clothes that are suitable for the climate. Although not strictly necessary, you might want to think about an mp3 player if you dont already have one. The miles will fairly fly by when youre walking along listening to your favourite music.
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 gradually increase to around 10,000 steps daily - that's about 5 miles - you will look good, feel great, have more energy and be considerably more healthy. You can purchase a pedometer starting at as little as $10 these days. This will let you keep track of exactly how many steps you take each day. Most modern pedometers will also tell you how much distance youve covered and how many calories youve burned if thats how you prefer to measure your progress.
If you havent taken regular exercise for a while, if you suffer from a medical condition, or if you are over 40 years of age then you should seek your doctors advice prior to starting out on any new exercise regime. However, as long as you apply a little common sense and start out gradually, a low impact, low injury risk workout like walking will, in all probability, be very beneficial for you. Leave the car at home and walk to the shops. Walk to school, walk to work. Take a fifteen minute walk around the block at lunchtime. Before you know it, youll be slimmer, healthier and, more importantly, youll feel great and more able to enjoy life to the full.
