Walk Fit

Walking is a great addition to your current workout routine. It has a plethora of benefits and is a universal exercise. You can do it anywhere, and mostly anyone can do it, it’s free, it doesn’t require special equipment, and you can do it any time of day. By just adding 30 minutes of walking into your daily workout routine, you can change you! The benefits are countless.

It lowers blood pressure that can also be good for your cholesterol levels, and in turn reduces the risk of obesity. Walking is not only one of the best activities for your health and mental well-being, it can help you lose weight and keep it off. It will help your heart become more efficient and every day activities will become easier. You’ll sleep better, have more energy, and benefit from a little Vitamin D from getting outside.

Benefits of Walking:

  • It strengthens your heart. Regular walking reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • It lowers disease risk. It slashes your risks of type 2 diabetes, asthma and some cancers.
  • It keeps weight in check. It helps you lose weight and keep it off.
  • It can help prevent dementia.
  • It can help prevent osteoporosis. As a weight-bearing activity, it helps strengthen bones.
  • It tones. A good walk help shape and tone your legs, giving definition to calves, hamstrings and lifting your glutes.
  • It tones your arms. All the regular movement you experience in your arms while walking will help tone your arms, shoulders and even upper back.
  • It boosts your vitamin D levels. A little bit of sunshine outside each day will put you in a great mood and help your bone health and immunity.
  • It gives you energy. A brisk walk with help boost your circulation and increase oxygen supply to every cell in your body.
  • It makes you happy. Regular moderate-intensity exercise is a great antidepressant. It helps reduce stress and anxiety. It can also be done with friends while enjoying a nice chat.

Even though you are already in a regular workout routine at the gym several times a week, doesn’t mean walking isn’t for you. The key to overall fitness is cross training, or participating in various activities, and walking is the perfect complement to any training regimen. By adding walking to your routine, you end up training opposing muscle groups and end up balancing out your strength and reducing the chance of injury. Also, if you are used to high impact activities, your body could benefit from taking it down a notch once in awhile and walking. You’ll get all the benefits of exercise without the wear and tear and giving your muscles time to recoup.

Add a walk to your daily workout routine. You’ll be able to cash in on all the additional benefits it has. Speak with your trainer and see when the best time for you would be to work that walk into your schedule. Sometimes, to get you moving during the day, first thing in the morning may be best for you. Or, if you feel a little sluggish and tired by mid-day, head out for a walk on your lunch. Start walking towards a healthier you!

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Walking – A Fitness Booster

Walking is an incredible form of exercise which can be carried out by most people. It’s a low impact workout which carries a very low risk of injury. It is an activity that can easily be added to your current workout routine or a way to get started on the path to reach your workout goals.Walking regularly will keep you physically healthy. Fitness experts and physicians agree that even a short walk can do wonders for the human body. It can strengthen the cardiovascular system by exercising the heart, and it reduces blood pressure and increases circulation. It is reasonably aerobic (increases your oxygen intake and lung capacity) and of course is low impact – it’s easy on the feet, ankles and knees. Regular walking strengthens your muscular and skeletal systems and reduces the likelihood of arthritis and other bone and muscle disorders that come with aging. It helps lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good, and it decreases the risk of developing type II diabetes. Walking for fitness can also help you lose weight.

Walking is also good for your mental health. It is known to improve your mood and decrease stress levels. That effect alone is priceless in today’s world, and those benefits multiply because lower stress and better mood make your body healthier as well. The simple act of walking increases your energy and slows the aging process.

If you’ve added walking to your exercise routine for awhile, you may want to try adding a little weight to your walk. Try adding ankle weights and/or compact hand weights. The additional weight will create more resistance during your walk to burn more. Just make sure you start off very light, especially around the ankles.

You can also try to change up your routine by adding some exercises within your walk. After walking for 15 minutes you can stop and stretch for 5 minutes along the wall. Throw in some jumping jacks or push-ups to keep your blood moving. If you can carry a jump rope with you, you can stop in the middle of your walk for a jump rope session that is high-intensity and great for your heart.

Modify your route to keep things fresh. Adding hills to your walk will help you burn more calories than flat terrain. You can also try different surfaces, pavement, trails or the beach. Walking in sand will increase the amount of calories burned by 50%. That can help with faster weight loss, or help if you’ve hit a plateau.

With all the benefits of this easy exercise there is no reason to not get out and start walking today. Remember to also pay attention to your diet. Exercise helps, but only when it’s combined with a sensible diet will you see the results you want. Like all exercise routines, make sure you stay hydrated when walking. Carry a water bottle with you and fill up when needed. Talk to your trainer about the best walking routine for you.

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Tread Lightly

Treadmill exercise has been proven to be beneficial for all kinds of people, including at risk groups like older individuals and pregnant women. Some kinds of aerobic exercises do not suit pregnant women or older people, but walking is always recommended and a treadmill is ideally suited for this purpose. Cardio-vascular exercise derived from walking or running on a treadmill helps you to burn extra calories and will help you to lose weight rapidly if you exercise on a frequent and consistent basis. A treadmill adds consistency to your walking workout and you can set both the pace and duration of your session and increase this in order to achieve a progressive improvement over time. A treadmill can also help you to achieve your personal fitness goals.

If you like walking or have been advised to walk regularly, then the weather conditions outside can create problems. When the weather conditions are poor during periods of rain, wind, snow or unfavorable temperature it makes it unpleasant or impossible to walk outside. With a treadmill you don’t need to worry about the weather and you can continue with your regular exercise regime.

With the constant walking on a treadmill looking at the same wall and space, how do you overcome boredom and lack of motivation? Try using the treadmill trainer, an audio workout that you can download on your iPod or Mp3 player to listen on your headphones while you jog/walk on the treadmill. It is like having a mini trainer in your ears to motivate you and guide you every step of the way. Or, try choosing an upbeat music compilation of your favorite motivating songs. You can also pick a time and television show you just can’t miss and plan your treadmill workout during that time. You’ll be so engrossed in your program, you’ll forget all about the calorie burn and exercise you are doing at the same time.

With a consistent treadmill workout, you want to make sure you are preventing injury. Remember these key points when walking or running during your treadmill workout.

  • Avoid toe, heel and knee injuries by using good shoes. Replace old worn out shoes so they give you a good support and have proper shock absorption.
  • Don’t overdo it. Use the treadmill every other day, not every day. Don’t go too fast and take it slow.
  • Warm up. Make sure you stretch and warm up your muscles before getting into your exercise routine.

A treadmill can be an excellent addition to any workout. Use some of these suggestions to keep yourself motivated and injury free. Enjoy walking all year long during any temperature or weather conditions that are outside by doing your walking/running routine on a treadmill.

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