Walking for fitness is as easy and convenient as putting one foot in front of the other. Almost anyone can do it, it helps shift that stubborn fat, increases your overall level of fitness and can create the same ‘high’ as jogging can (without the unnecessary stress on joints – or the boredom).  2500 years ago, Hippocrates stated that walking was the best medicine and as a form of exercise it is now endorsed by most of the world’s leading experts in obesity. Of course, lets not forget that walking is also one of the most cost effective forms of exercise since all you really need to fork out for is a good pair of trainers or walking shoes. Yay!

So while we are bigging up walking, here are a few more incentives for you to get those shoes on and get out there:

• Walking at a good pace for an hour will burn off about 260 calories
• The WHO recommends walking as a fantastic way to “lose weight, lower cholesterol, slow down aging, increase muscle and bone strength, flexibility and balance and increase stamina.”
• Done regularly, walking will slim down the thighs, calves, bum and tummy area.
• Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise it’s super good for counteracting the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Bones are very much like muscles in the way that they grow stronger and a consistent walking routine will aid bone, muscle and tissue growth and renewal.
• Walking every day for 6 months can reduce deep abdominal fat – this is the nasty fat that settles around your internal organs and can significantly add to the risk of cancer and heart disease.
• It makes you feel great!

Around 1.5 million people in the UK suffer from asthma and need to be a bit more careful in this the cold weather – I definitely feel it as soon as I go outside. It’s my first winter with asthma so I have been looking for tips about how to be more careful while out walking in the frost and the snow and these seem to be working for me:

• Cold air can exacerbate your asthma, so cover your face with a good scarf as this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in
• In really cold conditions, prescribed inhalers may not work properly. They should be warmed (eg, in the hands) before use.
• If you know that cold air triggers your asthma, take a couple of puffs of your reliever inhaler before going outside and keep it with you at all times
• Keep taking your regular preventer medicines as prescribed by your doctor
• Take extra special care when exercising in cold weather. Warm up for 10–15 minutes first.
• If you are going out and about with others, make sure they know you have asthma should  you become short of breath.

Happy New Year everyone!

Still not feeling 100% so won’t be out walking for at least another week (although I’m still steadily losing weight with Paul McKenna) but am busy making plans for walking in 2010.  For Christmas, I bought myself and my husband a joint membership of the Ramblers so looking forward to going on at least one big walk a month with a group of others – particularly in the Lakes and the Peak District. I’m also going to sign up for the Manchester Midnight Walk in July 2010 which is not only a great cause to support but also looks like a huge amount of fun.

It’s a 10K walk around Manchester at midnight on a (hopefully) warm summers night and I think it will be a fantastic thing to do. Other walks planned for 2010 include:

The Yorkshire 3 Peaks

Cat Bells

Pendle Hill

Blackshaw Head

Now I just need to get fit and healthy again……:-S