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posted by Ronald on Apr 28

Exercise is something that you have to make the time for, and for most of us, exercise just isn’t that much fun. Did you know that walking is just about the best exercise of all for the average person? Believe it or not, it is even better than jogging! There’s some evidence that supports walking for a certain period of time is a better way to lose weight than jogging. The reason is you burn more fat than carbohydrates with a less strenuous exercise. Just walking at a brisk but comfortable pace for 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week, can have significant and cumulative benefit to your cardiovascular system.

Here are some ideas to get you walking:

1. take the stairs at home and in the office

2. stop driving around looking for that ‘close to the door’ parking space

3. do mini-workouts throughout the day

Walking does not require expensive equipment, a great deal of time, or a lot of self-discipline. Don’t fall prey to the assumption that if a little walking is good for you, a lot is even better. If you start off trying to walk four or five miles a day, you’ll quickly grow tired of the demands and quit. Stick with a brisk walk around the neighborhood — ten to 15 minutes out, and then retrace your steps. It’s fast, easy and you’re home before you know it!

Enthusiasm in a particular sport may keep us active for a time. But enthusiasm tends to be short-lived, or produce injuries that sideline us, and we drift away from the sport and stop exercising altogether. Sports can place heavy demands on us as we try to fit time for practice and games into a busy hectic schedule. What’s important to know is that walking as a daily exercise will garner greater health benefits with far less risk of the injured muscles and joints suffered by those who are trying to exercise beyond their capabilities. One of most important things to learn is that a little bit of consistent exercise will offer significant benefit over the long term. You have to stick with it.

A recent study found that three 10-minute spurts of exercise are more effective than 30 minutes of continuous activity at reducing fat in the blood, which in turn may reduce the risk of heart-disease. It only takes 10 minutes of heart-pumping activity for a healthier heart. A lift in metabolism, or the speed at which your body burns calories, may be the reason why it is so beneficial. You don’t need to kill yourself with hours of cardiovascular exercises, and there is a point of diminishing returns - so keep it reasonable! And don’t forget to take some rest days. The last piece of advice - see your doctor for a checkup before undertaking any new rigorous exercise program.

For more information on the importance of health and nutrition, see the

Health and Nutrition Library

it includes many articles written to help you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.