Walking Your Way To Fitness

Yes, you can absolutely get fit by walking! If you have decided to commitment yourself to exercising outside, make sure you are enjoying what you're doing, and willing to take it to the next training level. Now that you have cancelled your gym membership. You are now on your first day of working out out doors; Let your first step to outdoor fitness start with walking. Most people who choose walking as their primary form of cardiovascular exercise, limit themselves to passive walking, that only promotes burning a few calories rather than burning a lot form a complete workout. Here are a few tips on how walking can be enjoyable and yet a complete work out:

1. Walking form. Using good walking posture is very important. That is putting one foot in front of the other, rolling through your heel to the balls of your feet. Shoulders straight, chest widen, head and chin up right and forward. Your arms swinging opposite hand to opposite foot form. This will promote your maximum walking velocity.

2. Pace. Walk as fast as you can comfortably during the first two weeks. If you start with a pace of 12-15 minute-mile you will burn more calories than walking at a 20-25 minute mile pace.

3. Increase gradually. After you have accomplished your walking pace of 12-15 minute-mile pace for the first two weeks, the following weeks should be increased to 2-3 minutes per week until you're able to walk for 30 to 45 minutes daily.

4. Traffic walking. When walking in high traffic areas, walk on the shoulder of the road and against traffic, this will enable you to see incoming cars.

5. Challenge yourself. Adding hills, or high elevated terrain into your walks will burn more calories and help condition your butt and thighs.

Walking is great. And as long as you are walking long and hard enough and you are enjoying what you are doing, you will burn calories. As I will always state, "Get fit and stay fit for life."