Beginner Walking

Have you ever noticed that city people are sometimes slimmer than their suburban counterparts? The answer is simple: They walk. A lot. At first it may seem overwhelming to venture somewhere without the speed and efficiency of your motorized vehicle, but you become slimmer and feel overall more healthy when you start walking as often as possible.

Begin with a 10 minute workout walk everyday. It is important to establish a routine that you become accustomed to. Ease into it by walking at a comfortable pace, which will typically be around 2.5 mph. In order to stop your daily walk from becoming boring, venture to new places, parks or interesting architectural buildings. Explore. Discover the area in which you live. After a week of consistent 10 minute walks, raise the bar to 20 minute workout walks and you will feel even better. Here is some more information for your fitness walking routine:

• If you push a 2.5 mph walk, you will burn 35 calories per every 10 minutes. A 3.5 mph pace burns 42 calories every 10 minutes.
• Make walking a social experience. Invite your friends along for a walk to a park you discovered. Bring a picnic to reward yourselves.
• Try walking while holding 5lb weights to spice up your routine.
• Buy a pedometer to track your progress.