Losing Weight Over 40 - Years and Pounds

A Guide to Walking Fitness Over 40

A guide to walking fitness is a guide to your health. Walking is the most basic of exercises (after all, you've been doing it 40 or more years), but it's also very effective.

For many of us, exercise isn't something we've had or made time for. Which makes walking the perfect re-introduction into the world of fitness!

Walking as an Exercise -- What Do You Need?

The most important piece of equipment is a good pair of walking or fitness shoes. Please don't skimp on these shoes, as they are the cushion between your body and the ground.

The more comfortable your shoes, the longer you'll be able to walk. And face it; once you're over 40, you probably need the extra support a good pair of shoes.

Other than your shoes, you need either a pedometer to track your steps or a measured distance for a guide. For example, if you want to walk one mile from your front door, find out where a half-mile away is, then walk to it and back.

A Guide to Walking Fitness

A Guide to Walking Fitness - Shoes Just like any other exercise, you want to warm up your muscles with some gentle stretching. This is especially important if you're a recent couch-potato convert, and your muscles aren't used to being used!

Start your walk slowly, then build up your pace. If you're new to a walking weightloss program, don't worry if you can't even walk around the block. We all have to start somewhere, and if you keep at it, you will improve your distance - and your health!

How far should you walk? A mile is good as a first goal, even if it takes you an hour to complete it. Once you can manage a mile in 18 minutes, set your next goal as two miles.

End your walk with a cooling down. Your last couple of minutes should be at an easy, relaxed pace. Some more gentle stretches help you to cool down your body even more.

A guide to walking fitness wouldn't be complete without a reminder to...drink water! A good guideline is one eight-ounce glass of water per mile. If you are still thirsty or you've been walking in hot weather, double that amount. The water helps to wash out the chemicals your body has released during your walking.

Walking at Home

Yes, walking at home is a good way to start your walking program. For that matter, you need never venture out of the house, if you like. This guide to walking fitness starts right in your own living room!

The biggest error most people make while walking at home is not getting (and wearing) a good pair of walking shoes. Yes, it's very tempting to walk at home with bare feet or maybe some slippers. No, you shouldn't do it, for the sake of your feet, as well as the rest of your body.

So, aside from a good pair of walking/fitness shoes, is there anything else you need? Yes, you need to keep to a brisk pace, so you'll need either:

A pedometer and timer
A walking at home DVD that sets the pace.

Now as to whether you should use a treadmill -- that's up to you. If you have the money to buy one and a space to set it up so that you will use it, then a treadmill is a good thing -- it can keep you on your pace.

However, if you buy the treadmill and don't ever use it (ahem!), then there's no use in spending the money.

Undecided? if you have a friend with a treadmill, see if you can try it out a few times.