Why walking is the best way to exercise

We are constantly being told in newspapers and on TV that we need to get out and do more exercise, yet if you are really out of shape then you can’t just jump straight into any old exercise program to try and get fit. For a start you have to choose the right kind of exercise, if you do something like jogging which is really demanding then you aren’t going to get far and will probably quit, plus you have to watch out for your joints. Our knees are only supposed to take a certain amount of force, and if you are overweight then every time you take a big step while jogging then you put a lot of strain on your knees.

That is why I think that walking is such a great way to exercise. It doesn’t put any undue strain on your joints, it isn’t too taxing so anyone can enjoy it now matter what their fitness level is like (yet if you pick up the pace you can make it demanding if you want to), and yet it is a great way to start getting fit. Obviously when you first start off then just go for a walk around the block for a mile or two and that will probably be enough for most people, but as you get fitter over the coming weeks and months then you can start to increase the distance, decrease the time you take, and add in gradients too so you really start to work hard. Invest in a strapless heart rate monitor watch if you want to get really serious, and then you can make sure you are pushing yourself hard enough each time you go out.

If you can stick to your walking routine every day for a month then you will be amazed at how much fitter you are, and how much more walking you can do. Once you start seeing those results it will motivate you to keep working hard.