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... By Karli Taylor
Sure, we walk every day. We walk around the house, around the office and to and from our cars, but walking can be a great form of cardiovascular exercise as well. Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health without requiring extra equipment or technical training. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice and just about anyone can do it.
Walking, like other forms of cardiovascular exercise, can result in a number of important health benefits. Simply by adding a 20-30 minute walk to your daily activities, you can lower your bad cholesterol, increase your good cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk for type II diabetes AND control your weight. Not bad right?
Believe it or not, you don’t need to be dripping in sweat to reap all of these benefits. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.
Even though walking isn't as likely to lead to injuries as more intense types of exercise, take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters or muscle pain. Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles before you increase to a brisk walking pace. Be sure to wear shoes that fit and have proper arch support, a firm heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Before you buy a new pair, be sure to walk in them in the store.
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of motivation. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year. Like any exercise routine, a walking program takes commitment. When you think of the potential health benefits, you’ll see that the time you commit is well spent.
