How to Use Walking As Exercise

Every time you plant your feet in walking, you are burning calories and inadvertently exercising. To deliberately use walking as exercise is therefore one of the easiest and cheapest exercise programs to implement into most lifestyles.

Things You'll Need

• Walking shoes (required)
• Walking route
• Motivational music (optional)
• Hand/ankle weights (optional)
• Nordic pole (optional)
• Walking video or Wii fit (optional)
• Treadmill (optional)
• Pedometer (highly recommended)
• Hydration replacement (water, sports drink)

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Instructions

• 1

  Get a good pair of walking shoes. Athletic shoes designed for sports other than walking may not be appropriate for a walking program, as they are built with supports that match the specific sport. Ask a shoe store representative for assistance in selecting a walking shoe that meets your preference and budget. Plan to replace your walking shoes every three months or every few hundred miles to avoid injury due to loss of adequate shoe support.

• 2

  Obtain a pedometer. Pedometers measure the number of steps you take during your walking workout. Some simply count your steps; some have memory chips that will record the date, the number of steps, the calories burned, the number of miles walked and so on. Measuring your workouts and logging the results allows you to make and track improvements.
  According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes of moderate intensity walking five days per week is the recommended minimum for most adults. This can be further broken into 10-minute increments, and this recommendation changes for adults older than 65.

• 3

  Determine a walking route. A walking route may be as simple as a 0.5 mile distance from your home that one round trip equals a 1-mile route. Maybe a local park is a better option. Regardless, ensure the route and the time of your workout is safe. If walking in darkness, consider wearing reflectors or light-colored clothing so drivers can see you.

• 4

  Use technology as an option for days when the weather is bad. Treadmills, TreadClimbers, Wii fit or exercise DVDs may be your regular workout option or an option for days when going outside is not a good idea. With these technologies, it is possible to walk for miles without changing your location and get an effective workout in the process.

• 5

  Use music as a distraction or motivational exercise tool. IPods and MP3 players make taking music along on a walking workout easy to do. Load your favorite music to help the exercise time pass more quickly or to create a beat that makes the exercise more fun. Some people prefer no music at all, and the walking workout becomes a time to clear their mind.

• 6

  Hydrate for health and safety. Walking without having water or a drink on hand is not a good idea. Contrary to earlier belief, drinking while exercising does not produce cramps. It is the absence of adequate hydration that causes cramping. Start your hydration therapy 30 minutes before your walking workout, and take sips as necessary during your workout to avoid heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

• 7

  Take along accessories for increased benefits. Ankle or hand weights, Nordic poles and strollers are just some examples of easy to walk with items that add to the walking program. By adding extra resistance or tools, the body has an additional way of burning more calories. For those who don't want, or do not have accessories, simply being deliberate about pumping the arms while walking will also help to burn extra calories.

• 8

  Dress for the weather. Walking for fitness can be done year-round if you dress for it. Wear warmer clothing in the colder months and rain ponchos on rainy days.

• 9

  Take a friend or friends along. Walking for exercise lends itself well to a partner tagging along, a group of friends, a baby in a stroller, or even a dog for companionship. Seniors very often get together for mall walking, which means weather and safety will not be an issue.