Summer is the time to take part in all of the great outdoor activities that are available. You can go hiking, swimming, biking or just take a stroll around your neighborhood. It’s easy to get the exercise you need in the summer, often without planning it.
However, when winter comes, people tend to get out of shape. Who wants to go out and exercise when it’s cold? It’s so much easier to find excuses, and put off our exercise routines. When it’s cold outside, no one wants to work out outside, and if you don’t have a gym membership, you need some kind of exercise equipment at home, right?

Wrong! There’s always one exercise you can do during the winter – walking. And, you don’t even need to go outside and freeze while you’re doing it. There are many ways and just as many places that you can walk inside.

• If you’re willing to invest in a treadmill, you can walk in the comfort of your home. You can watch TV, read or listen to music while you “walk.” You can now get new treadmills for less than $350, or look through the classifieds for a good used one. Some have features like heart rate monitors, adjustable incline and speed control to give you some flexibility.
• Join a gym. You’ll have access to treadmills and even indoor tracks at some gyms. Not only that, you’ll also be able to take advantage of all sorts of other fitness equipment and classes.
• Go shopping! If you aren’t the type of person to walk in place, and you just don’t want to join a gym, go to the mall! Walk up and down the halls, and do some window shopping. You can even consider putting together a walking group that meets regularly and walks around the mall, or even a local high school if you live in a small town.

What Are The Benefits of Walking?
It doesn’t matter where you walk, as long as you’re walking. It’s so simple to do and yet it’s probably one of the most beneficial exercises you can do for your body. Take a look at some of the benefits to walking regularly:

• Both high and moderate intensity walking has been proven to be just as beneficial as any aerobic fitness workout. Low intensity walking describes walking at 45-55% of your highest heart rate, and you would need to walk 5-7 days each week for best results. But, if you walk at a high intensity level, which would be 65-75% of highest heart rate, you can achieve the same results in as little as 3 days a week.
• Regular walking can lower the risk for many diseases, like cancer, diabetes and glaucoma.
• It has been proven that those who walk regularly live longer than those who lead less active lives.
• Moderate intensity walking is believed to boost your immune system. This is another reason that walking is so important in winter!

Walking gives your whole body a workout. You don’t need any special equipment, classes or even skills. It’s something that you’re doing anyway, just take the time to turn it into a workout regime, and you won’t believe the results you’ll see. Winter doesn’t need to get you down – get out and get walking!

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Eat better, move more, and believe in yourself!

(About Me)