Walking Is A Good Way To Shedding A Few Pounds
Walking is a low impact, low injury risk method of exercising which is a great solution for many people - at a variety of different levels of fitness and over a broad band of ages. No special equipment is needed - all you require is a pair of comfortable shoes and you’re all set. If you look at the potential health benefits of walking you might be forgiven for thinking that you were looking at an advert for some new wonder drug - but they are very real and easily obtainable with no more than a few minor changes to your daily routine.
Most health professionals suggest that a target of 10,000 steps a day is desirable in order to obtain the numerous health benefits available. That equates to a distance of between four and a half and five miles for most of us. It sounds like a long way - but it’s easier to achieve than you might think. Bearing in mind the potential health benefits on offer, a little extra effort to fit walking into your day is well worth your while.
It’s quite probable that you may be some way under the recommended 10,000 step level. If you’re not certain how many steps you currently take then it may be a good idea to get hold of an Omron pedometer in order to find out what your daily average is. You can find these at fairly low prices these days - but be sure to pick one which uses a double axis sensor as these are more accurate.
Once you know what your average number of steps is each day, you should look for ways to make up any discrepancy between your daily average and the recommended 10,000 step value. There are plenty of ways to do this - just be sensible and start off slowly, there’s no need to do it all at once.
If you can manage to find a dedicated time in your day for a walk then that’s fantastic. If that’s not possible for you then don’t despair - there are numerous different ways to get your step count up. Leave the car at home and walk to work, school or the shops. Use the stairs instead of taking the lift. Get off the subway one or two stops early and walk the last leg of your journey.
Use modern technology to your benefit by walking around when you’re talking on your cordless or mobile phone. You can fit in an extra 1,000 or 1,500 paces during a fifteen minute phone call. There are plenty of other opportunities to fit walking into your day - and it all adds up.
Another way to take advantage of modern technology would be to wear a pair of the new style of exercise shoes which are specially designed to increase the amount of work your lower body muscles do whilst walking. Skechers Shape Ups, Reeboks EasyTones and Fit flops sandals are all examples of this style of exercise shoe.
If you haven’t exercised for a while, if you are over forty years of age, or if you have any pre-existing medical conditions then you should talk to your doctor before starting any new fitness regime. However, as walking is a low injury risk, low impact workout - as long as you take it easy to begin with - it should have a very significant positive impact on your overall health and fitness level. You will feel better, have increased energy levels and be losing weight in no time - and you won’t need a set of scales or a pedometer to tell you how well you’re doing. You will be able to both see and feel the results.