Are You Walking Fast Enough?

Walking has been shown to be one of the best exercises as far as your health is concerned, whether you're just getting back into shape or you're trying to maintain your goal weight. It's easy to do, doesn't require any special equipment and can be done almost anywhere. And it's great for people of all ages.

If walking is your workout of choice, you may need to pick up your pace a bit. A study by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) found that 74% of walkers weren't walking fast enough to receive any health benefits. Benefits such as a lowered risk of at least six diseases: heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and mental disorders like depression. Not to mention you'll also feel great and maintain or reach your goal weight easier.

Research shows that brisk walking can be just as beneficial as jogging. But with much less stress on your knees. It's recommended that you walk at least 3.5 mph, about the same as walking one mile in 17 minutes. It also comes out to 130 to 140 steps per minute - that's pretty fast walking. You'll need to spend 30 minutes at this pace four times per week to really reap the health benefits.

So where can you find time to get four-30 minute walking sessions in? Most people say they couldn't possibly squeeze one more activity into their busy day. But fitness experts suggest you schedule your exercise time just like you would any other appointment - and keep it. Having it down in writing with time set aside makes it a little harder to "break" or forget about your appointment.

Make this a special time just for your. Use your walking time to listen to motivational tapes that leave you feeling like there's nothing you can't do. Or pick up the latest best seller in audio version. Of course, you could always listen to your favorite music to keep you motivated. Or others prefer to skip the headphones and enjoy the world around them while they walk.

Another way to stick to your walking goal is to walk with a buddy. Staying healthy is so much easier when you have someone to enjoy it with. And if you know your buddy is counting on you to go walking with, you'll be less likely to let him or her down. If you can't find anyone to go with, join a walking group and make new friends to stay fit with.

Walking is a great way to keep fit and stay healthy. Just make sure you keep a good pace and walk for at least 30 minutes 4 times per week. You'll feel better and look better too!