Get Out and Get Walking

Want to start an easy and enjoyable exercise program?  Then get out and get walking.  Walking is the perfect exercise for many people.  It is inexpensive and needs only a place to walk and a good pair of shoes.  Walking reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, lowers total cholesterol, raises healthy HDL cholesterol, and lowers blood pressure.

Walking also has these benefits:

• Helps to control weight
• Maintains healthy bones and muscles
• Burns 350-500 calories per hour on average
• Eases back pain
• Boosts energy
• Fights the aging process

So how do you start a walking program? First, check with your medical professional if you have any health concerns that would affect your ability to exercise safely.  Once you have the go ahead, try this routine:

Start walking 20 minutes a day, preferably 5 days a week.  Walk 10 minutes, then turn around and walk back home.  Pretty simple.

If that goes well, add another 5 minutes to each days total the next week.  So now you are walking 25 minutes per day, 5 days a week.

Add 5 minutes to each days total the next week, and continue doing this until you have reached your desired total time.  60 minutes per day, 5 days a week is a perfect goal for all the walking benefits described above. So lace up your shoes, get out there, and get walking!