How to Start Walking for Exercise

Walking is a basic movement we use every day, but it can require discipline to walk enough to gain health benefits. It's recommended that you take at least 10,000 steps each day for exercise, which can be easily measured by a pedometer. You can also use fitness watches and smart phone apps. Take time to prepare for your walk, and gradually increase your walking time and difficulty for added benefits.

Preparing for Your Walks

Find a good place to walk. Generally, the best locations for walking have a flat terrain, straight path, smooth surface and minimal traffic. The convenient choice would be the neighborhood around your block, but if the road is too steep, curvy or just not what you're looking for, you might want to consider other areas around your town.

·         Ensure you are wearing appropriate footwear. Walking puts a bit of pressure on your feet, which can cause pain if you aren’t wearing well-fitting walking shoes. Also, be sure you are wearing the correct footwear for the weather.

·         Take your car to a park if it's too far away to walk. Parks are often flat and very peaceful.

·         Some cities have bike boulevards or walking paths that are relatively flat and well-maintained. They also have less traffic from cars. These are good areas to pick for walking as well.

·         If you won't be tempted to stop and browse the stores, shopping malls are also good locations for walking around. They are flat, large, and contain many different paths so you won't become bored.

·         If you live near a large body of water, the shoreline can be a nice, relaxing place to get some fresh air and to work in an early morning hike.

·         If indoor exercise is your thing, use a treadmill set to a slow speed for walking.

Make an exercise playlist. It may help to have music playing as you take your walk, especially if you are easily bored from low-key activities. Consider listening to music that also gives your mind room to wander and think about other parts of your life. You can also listen to music that is upbeat that you know that will keep up your motivation to walk. Walks are an excellent opportunity to reflect and plan for the future, although take care to avoid stressful topics. Your walk should definitely be a chance to unwind!

·         Load your favorite audio onto your phone or an MP3 player so you can listen wherever you go.

·         A walk can also be a great opportunity to listen to an audiobook or podcast.

·         If you are listening to music or other audio while walking outdoors, take extra care to be aware of your surroundings. Listening to something on headphones or earbuds will make it harder for you to hear approaching traffic.

Set reasonable expectations for your progress. If you have been sedentary for a long time, you will want to start out slower and aim for shorter distances. Write these tangible goals down in a notebook or calendar so that you can keep yourself on track and monitor small successes.

·         For example, you might plan to start by walking 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week.

·         Note, however, that walking is a fairly mild exercise that does not require vigorous physical exertion for most people. Therefore, with the right preparation and attire, you will likely be physically capable of walking for hours. You won't meet the same fatigue that a more vigorous exercise, such as running or weightlifting, could lead to.

Develop a strong mental attitude for "slow but steady" exercise. This will be easier for some than for others. To borrow from a popular phrase, walking is definitely a marathon, not a sprint, so get your mental endurance ready before you begin this trek.

·         Don't expect to see fast results. Incorporating walking into your daily schedule is about making healthier choices towards a better lifestyle, and it's a change that you should maintain indefinitely. Don't use walking as a get-fit-quick scheme or as a quick, one-shot weight loss tool.