While the right eating plan is crucial to weight loss, consistent exercise may help you drop pounds and keep you in shape. And if you&#39;re not quite ready for calorie-incinerating routines like high-intensity interval training (HIIT)? Go for a walk. It&#39;ll likely <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/slideshow/simple-free-way-improve-health">improve your overall health</a> in multiple ways, and you don&#39;t need a gym membership, special classes or pricey equipment&mdash;just a few minutes and a decent pair of sneakers. Try these tips to maximize the benefits.

1. Use your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/best-walking-shoes">shoes</a>&nbsp;to curb a craving. 
When all you can think of is chocolate, or you&#39;re salivating over the thought of a salty snack, get up and take a walk&mdash;but not to the convenience store! Instead, amble around your neighborhood, a local track or a nearby park; you could find that your hankering disappears. Multiple small studies have found that a brisk stroll may temporarily reduce cravings.

2.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/get-fit-fast-by-walking-to-lose-weight">Get speedy</a>&nbsp;every now and then. 
Since walking alone at a regular stride doesn&#39;t burn many calories, alternate your regular walking pace with intense one- to three-minute intervals&mdash;&quot;intense&quot; meaning conversation is tricky but not so hard that you want to stop talking altogether. Then, dial back to your regular pace for a minute or more to recover. Repeat as often as you can for as long as you want.

&quot;This isn&#39;t an exact science, so don&#39;t worry about a magic formula,&quot; says Gregory Florez, an American Council on Exercise spokesperson in Salt Lake City. &quot;Play around with it. Walk fast toward the next stop sign, then slow down, repeat. However you do it, varying your intensity and exertion will dramatically increase the calorie burn during your walks.&quot;

3. Other times, don&#39;t worry about speed. 
If you just can&#39;t go any faster, Florez recommends these other tools to help you lose weight by walking:

<ul>
	<li>Frequency:&nbsp;When you think you&#39;re not losing, add another session of walking to your week.</li>
	<li>Intensity:&nbsp;After you&#39;ve added more walking sessions, try some hills to make your walk a little harder. You want to be between 12 and 15 on the Borg Perceived Exertion Scale; 0 on the scale is sleeping, and 20 is a full-out sprint where you are panting and feel ready to faint. &quot;You should be able to carry on a conversation, but every other sentence you should have to take a deep breath.&quot;</li>
	<li>Time:&nbsp;Just walk a little longer each session. Add 10 minutes to your walk every day and you&#39;ll have amassed an extra 70 minutes that week. Easy, no?</li>
</ul>

Want to raise your activity levels and meet your exercise goals? Studies suggest that tracking your steps can help you be more active. Try a pedometer or wearable step tracker, or download an app like Sharecare for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sharecare/id964313779?mt=8" target="_blank">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sharecare.realgreen&amp;hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a> today.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage-test">Did You Know? Walking at least 20 minutes a day can make your RealAge up to 1.9 years younger. Take the RealAge Test to learn more.</a>

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

3 Secrets of Walking to Lose Weight

The Shoe Check

The toe should be wide enough that toes aren&#39;t pinched. This is extra important if you have any foot issues like bunions or Morton&#39;s neuroma (a pinched nerve between your third and fourth toe). The shoe should be long enough that your big toe doesn&#39;t touch the end. Many walkers buy <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-footwear/what-look-buying-walking-shoes">walking shoes</a> a size larger than regular ones.

The heel should be flat and relatively straight. You don&#39;t need that big, wide, flared heel that some running shoes have for stability, since walkers land with less force.

Flexibility is key because walking is a rolling motion, and your shoes need to work with you. That means they shouldn&#39;t be stiff. Bend the shoe in half and twist it a bit to test its flex. It should give easily.

The shape should be a natural curve to facilitate walking&#39;s heel-to-toe motion. If you push the shoe&#39;s toe down on a flat surface, the heel should rise slightly.

The cushioning depends on your foot type. More cushioning increases comfort for someone with a high arch, for instance. If you have any issues with your feet, go to a store that specializes in walking or athletic shoes, and have a fitting expert help you <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-footwear/athletic-shoes-can-i-wear-avoid-foot-problems">find shoes</a> that will likely work best.

The Fitting

Keep it personal. To determine the best shoe for you, a good salesperson will ask about your walking goals (how often, how far, on what surface) and observe your stride length. He or she will look for pronation (whether your foot rolls inward when you walk) and check out your arch type (high, low, flat).

The perfect match takes time. Even with expert help, you may need to try on lots of shoes to find the ideal pair. It&#39;s worth it. Wear the socks you plan to walk in when you try on shoes. Once you&#39;ve narrowed it down to a couple of pairs, walk around the store in each one for several minutes (not a few steps). Repeat at home that night -- on carpeting, in case you have second thoughts about your choice or size.

Worry about the style last. You want to look good, yes, but feeling great during and after your 10,000 steps comes first. Choose the shoe that fits and feels the best.

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

Find the Right Walking Shoes

Walking is an easy exercise, but use this minute rule to make sure you&#39;re hoofing it hard enough to get the minimum benefit.

Strap on a pedometer and make sure you&#39;re taking about 100 steps a minute. This will help ensure that you meet baseline exercise requirements for intensity level.

The meaning of moderate 
To get your cardiovascular health to the next level, you want to aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. But what does &quot;moderate&quot; mean? In a study, researchers found that men needed to take 92 to 102 steps a minute and women needed about 91 to 115 steps per minute to elevate their heart rate and oxygen intake high enough to qualify their activity as moderately intense. How fit is your heart? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/article/heart-rate-recovery">Check your fitness level here</a>.

Watch your steps 
If you are new to exercise or have a health condition, check with your doctor before trying to hit the benchmark of 100 steps per minute. If exercise is old hat to you, don&#39;t let yourself get too comfortable with the number. As the researchers pointed out, this is really the minimum walking pace that qualifies as moderate-intensity exercise. Here are a few other tips to help you get fit faster:

<ul>
	<li>Never used a pedometer before? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/how-buy-good-pedometer">Here&#39;s what to look for when you pick one out</a>.</li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in May 2019.

Calling All Walkers: Use This Minute Rule

Walking is a nearly perfect <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/slideshow/walk-your-way-better-health">exercise</a>, especially for older adults. It strengthens your muscles, helps keep the pounds off, improves your balance and lowers your risk for falls.

A new study published in The Lancet suggests that where you walk can be just as important as the walk itself. In the study, researchers learned that walking in a traffic-clogged city with polluted air might do more harm than good for older adults who have respiratory illnesses or heart disease.

In fact, even just two hours of exposure to air polluted with soot or dust appears to erase the benefits that walking confers on the hearts and lungs of people aged 60 and older.

How the study worked 
For the study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, researchers recruited 119 older adults. Forty of the volunteers were healthy, 40 had stable chronic <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/copd/slideshow/living-well-with-copd-expert-tips">obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)</a> and 39 had stable <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-disease/what-is-ischemic-heart-disease">ischemic heart disease</a>, a condition marked by narrowed arteries that restrict blood flow to the heart.

The participants were randomly assigned to walk for two hours along the western end of London&rsquo;s Oxford Street, where diesel-powered buses and taxis are the only vehicles allowed to operate. Another group walked through a traffic-free section of Hyde Park in the center of London.

Three to eight weeks later, the groups switched; the park-walkers moved to the traffic areas and those who&rsquo;d walked in the traffic strolled in the park.

Before and after each walk, researchers measured the traffic-related air pollution (black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and other matter) in the air.

Breaking down the results 
The healthy walkers who strolled Hyde Park experienced improvements in their lung capacity. Specifically, they had a 7.5 percent average increase in their FEV1 measurement, which is the maximum amount of air you can exhale in one second. What&rsquo;s more, their arteries became less stiff. These improvements lasted for up to 26 hours.

However, the healthy Oxford Street walkers experienced only a tiny increase in their lung capacity, and their arteries stiffened by 7 percent. Researchers noted this effect was linked to their increased exposure to black carbon soot and ultrafine particles released by diesel exhaust.

Additionally, the people with COPD who walked heavily-trafficked Oxford Street reported an increase in disturbing symptoms like coughing, thick mucus secretions, shortness of breath and wheezing. Their arterial stiffness also worsened. Researchers linked these harmful effects to black carbon soot and ultrafine particles, just as they did for the healthy people who walked Oxford Street. &ldquo;This supports the view that fossil fuel combustion particles are particularly toxic to people with heart and lung disease,&rdquo; they noted.

Regarding participants with ischemic heart disease, arteries stiffened only for those who were not taking medication for their condition. That suggested to researchers that these drugs might have a protective effect against pollution&rsquo;s damage, but they said that more research is needed.

&ldquo;Taking medications which improve arterial stiffness, such as statins, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers may well reduce the adverse effects of air pollution in people with ischemic heart disease,&rdquo; said study author Professor Fan Chung of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London in a statement.

What it means for your daily walk 
&ldquo;Our findings indicate that in traffic-congested streets&hellip;the health benefits of walking do not always outweigh the risk from traffic pollution,&rdquo; said Chung. He added that this should not prevent older people from walking, especially if it&rsquo;s their only exercise. &quot;We suggest that, where possible, older adults walk in parks or other green spaces away from busy roads.&quot;

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) suggests that Americans get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity every week, which can include walking, or a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity weekly activity, like jogging or hiking uphill. Keep in mind however, even more regular physical activity provides greater health benefits. If you can&#39;t get outdoors, try an indoor track or a shopping mall, or <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/slideshow/sneaky-ways-to-add-steps">add steps to your regular routine</a> by taking the stairs, walking to coworkers&#39; desks or even just pacing while you&#39;re on the phone. You don&#39;t have to move for long periods of time to reap the benefits&mdash;even a two-minute stroll can help improve your health.&nbsp; Every minute of physical activity will also count toward your weekly goals.

In the meantime, working toward a cleaner environment can help everyone. &quot;Our study provides a clear message to improve the quality of air we all share,&quot; said Chung. He suggested that working to reduce emissions, as well as phasing out diesel-powered engines and replacing them with battery-powered alternatives, are good first steps.

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

News: City Pollution May Blunt the Benefits of Walking

&quot;Walking saved my life.&quot; So say many walking enthusiasts who picked up the habit and as a result either reduced their risk of disease, lost weight, beat depression or enjoyed countless other major health rewards.

Although you may not be surprised to know that walking is considered a superior health habit, it might surprise you to learn just how much research has confirmed the far-reaching and diverse health benefits that regular walkers experience.

Some doctors and scientists even believe that walking regularly can reverse illness and aging, making the simple act of walking quite possibly the most underrated prescription for good health.

Read on to discover the long list of health wishes that walking can fulfill for you.

1. I wish I had more energy. 
A short, brisk walk has both a calming and an energizing effect, according to research. And walking may help you feel more alert and well-rested because of its ability to improve the quality of your sleep. Walking at a moderate pace later in the day can help encourage deep, restful sleep. Finally, the mood boost you experience from walking may further enhance your energy levels.

Walk toward a good night&#39;s sleep. In a study, people who walked more than six blocks per day reduced their sleep problems by one third. Walking at a brisk pace cut their sleep problems in half.

2. I wish I could think more clearly. 
Need to sort out some things in your head? Few activities help improve your perspective as quickly as a brisk walk, which will boost circulation in all parts of the body, including your brain.

Some research has also shown that <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/dementia/can-dementia-be-prevented" target="_blank">walking is associated with less cognitive decline</a> and a reduced risk of dementia later in life.

In addition to improving cognitive function, walking regularly can help you handle stressful situations and help you remain in control of your emotions, which clears the path for straight thinking.

3. I wish I could protect myself from my parents&#39; diseases. 
Your genetics determine only a small part of your health profile. Research shows it&#39;s how you live your life that really counts, and walking regularly can prevent and improve many serious chronic diseases.

Here is a short list of ways that walking can reduce the impacts of disease. Moderately intense activities such as walking can:

<ul>
	<li>Reduce <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-disease/cardiovascular-disease-serious" target="_blank">cardiovascular disease</a> by as much as 30 to 50 percent</li>
	<li>Decrease osteoarthritis pain and improve stability, endurance and agility</li>
	<li>Reduce the risk of colon cancer and possibly breast cancer</li>
	<li>Protect against diabetes in high-risk people and lower blood glucose and improve insulin action in diabetics</li>
	<li>Lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack</li>
</ul>

4. I wish I could lose weight. 
Although you might think that losing weight is the only way to enjoy an improved health profile, the truth is that regular walkers may not have to worry quite as much about what the scale says. Studies show that thin, sedentary people may have more markers of heart disease risk than overweight people who exercise regularly.

Nonetheless, losing weight is a great way to improve your health profile, and walking can help you accomplish this goal. Walking will increase the number of calories you burn each day and can boost your muscle mass, which in turn helps your body burn more calories throughout the day, not just while you are exercising.

5. I wish I felt happier in general. 
Protecting and nurturing your mental health is an important part of overall wellness, and studies show that walking regularly has the ability to lower your stress levels. Also, studies show that aerobic exercise such as walking may bring long-term benefits to your mental disposition by warding off both depression and anxiety.

Steps toward better health 
No other prescription for your health is as free and easy as walking. It can even equal more vigorous forms of exercise in terms of its ability to improve your health profile. And it&#39;s easier on your body, especially your joints, than activities such as running. Do you know of any medicine that has greater benefits for your health and well-being?

Don&#39;t think you have the time to walk? Just take a short walk in the morning and another at lunch or after work. Physical activity can be accumulated over the course of a day rather than all in one session, and it doesn&#39;t have to result in weight loss to have health benefits.

So start where you are, and gradually increase the amount of time you spend walking. You&#39;ll be granting yourself some very key health wishes in the process.

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

Get in Step

Regardless of where you find yourself on the scale after the holidays, a few extra walks will still do wonders for your heart.

Even if you&#39;re well above your ideal weight, burning off about 1,000 calories a week helps improve your cardiovascular health and reduces your risk of heart disease.

Batting 1,000 -- At Least 
After a decade-long study, researchers have found that burning about 1,000 calories a week through exercise was enough to significantly lower the risk of coronary heart disease in women who are obese. It didn&#39;t totally erase their risk, but study participants were far better off than obese women who got little or no exercise.

Exercise, in any shape or form, is proven medicine for your heart -- lowering blood pressure, improving blood vessel function, and possibly inhibiting certain types of blood-clot-encouraging chemicals released by fat cells. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/workouts" target="_blank">Get started getting fit with our collection of online workout videos.</a>

How to Make the Mark 
So what does it take to shed an extra 1,000 calories a week? Depends on your size and how hard you work out. You could burn anywhere from 125 to 200-plus calories with 30 minutes of walking -- so you&#39;d need to hit the pavement several times each week. No matter how big or small your New Year&#39;s fitness goal is, RealAge can help you stay on track.

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

Heavy? Aim for 1,000

How many calories you torch on a walk depends on how much you weigh and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/live-longer-with-this-walking-speed">how fast you walk</a>. There&#39;s some sweet revenge in that: The heavier you are, the more calories you&#39;ll burn per hour. And, of course, the faster you walk, the faster you burn calories.

Want to nix a pound just by walking? Burn 3,500 calories and you&#39;re there. So if you weigh 150 pounds and walk at a 4 mph pace for an hour a day, a pound could be gone in just over 10 days -- without dieting! Check out how much you&#39;re burning every hour you walk:

Weight: 120 lb. 
Pace / Calories burned/hour

<ul>
	<li>24-minute mile (2.5 mph) / 163</li>
	<li>20-minute mile (3 mph) / 180</li>
	<li>17-minute mile (3.5 mph) / 207</li>
	<li>15-minute mile (4 mph) / 272</li>
</ul>

Weight: 150 lb. 
Pace / Calories burned/hour

<ul>
	<li>24-minute mile (2.5 mph) / 204</li>
	<li>20-minute mile (3 mph) / 225</li>
	<li>17-minute mile (3.5 mph) / 258</li>
	<li>15-minute mile (4 mph) / 340</li>
</ul>

Weight: 200 lb. 
Pace / Calories burned/hour

<ul>
	<li>24-minute mile (2.5 mph) / 272</li>
	<li>20-minute mile (3 mph) / 300</li>
	<li>17-minute mile (3.5 mph) / 344</li>
	<li>15-minute mile (4 mph) / 454</li>
</ul>

Weight: 250 lb 
Pace / Calories burned/hour

<ul>
	<li>24-minute mile (2.5 mph) / 306</li>
	<li>20-minute mile (3 mph) / 375</li>
	<li>17-minute mile (3.5 mph) / 387</li>
	<li>15-minute mile (4 mph) / 511</li>
</ul>

Weight: 300 lb. 
Pace / Calories burned/hour

<ul>
	<li>24-minute mile (2.5 mph) / 368</li>
	<li>20-minute mile (3 mph) / 382</li>
	<li>17-minute mile (3.5 mph) / 438</li>
	<li>15-minute mile (4 mph) / 579</li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in February 2019.

How Many Calories Can You Burn by Walking?

Walking in a winter wonderland these days? Make your lungs happy with this small equipment addition: a scarf.

Tina Vindum, author of Outdoor Fitness, recommends covering your mouth and nose with a scarf before heading out for cold-weather exercise. This simple piece of gear helps warm and moisturize air before it hits your tender lungs.

Cold-weather cardio 
Besides being a shock to the system, cold, arid air can dry out and irritate bronchial passages. But if you wear a scarf or facemask over your mouth and nose, heat and water will be trapped in the material every time you breathe out. A good thing, because then that moisture and heat are available to warm and humidify your next breath on the way in. And that&#39;s much easier on your respiratory bits. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/health-value-of-foods/how-can-eating-apples-benefit-my-health">(Find out which type of fruit can help improve lung function.)</a>

Winter workout wear 
Healthy <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/slideshow/5-tips-for-winter-walking">cold-weather exercise</a> requires some attention to wardrobe, too. The key, Vindum says, is layering. On your bottom-most layer, use lightweight, breathable fabrics that wick sweat and keep you dry. Your next layer should provide insulation&mdash;leggings and a fleece top usually do the trick. On top, your coat or jacket should offer protection against wind, rain and snow. To keep feet dry, choose socks made of a moisture-wicking material like wool or polypropylene. (Can&#39;t get past the cold? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/types-exercise/how-good-short-workout-home">Try creating your own workout that you can do at home.)</a>

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

How to Heat Up Your Cold-Weather Walks

No doubt about it, walking is the most user-friendly form of exercise there is. But your everyday walking speed matters, too. Especially if you&#39;re trying to live a longer life.

Here&#39;s why: research suggests that if your everyday walking speed is more than just a casual stroll, you&#39;ll live longer than your pokier peers.

The perfect pace 
Yep. When researchers reviewed nine similarly structured studies involving nearly 35,000 adults over the age of 65, study results suggested that gait speed was a big predictor of how long people would live. To reap longevity rewards and live longer than expected, people&#39;s everyday walking speed needed to be at least 2.25 miles per hour. That&#39;s a little over 3 feet every second. People with this gait speed typically outlived the slower-striding folks in the study.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-disease/article/count-your-steps-every-day">Walking this much can slash your risk of a stroke.</a>

How walks talk 
Of course, a real walking workout now and then, where you get your heart rate up and sweat a little, is great for your long-term health, too. But the everyday speed at which you get around could be an important sign of how healthy you are. A person&#39;s walking ability can be a window into the health and function of a number of systems in the body because it requires a coordinated effort between your heart, lungs, skeletal muscles and brain. So if you walk well&mdash;and often&mdash;it can become a powerful tool in your quest to live a longer life.

Too cold to go out and walk? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/fitness-and-exercise/walking/walking--part-1-start-quick-easy">Try this walking workout you can do in your own living room.</a>

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/4-secrets-to-walking-off-weight">Slim down! Discover four tricks for walking off more weight.</a>

Take the first steps to growing younger and healthier with the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge Test</a>.

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

Best Walking Speed for a Longer Life

INDOORS! &quot;I lost 35 pounds by walking inside my house!&quot;

Becky Menn-Hamblin, 67, Knoxville, TN 
People think I&#39;m crazy -- and maybe I am a little wacky -- but I love walking indoors. Even better: I do it. Over the years, I&#39;ve tried walking on a treadmill at home (boring), walking in my neighborhood, walking on a trail, and walking around a track. I even joined a big-box gym (twice!), but paying for it still didn&#39;t get me to stick to any walking or exercise routine. The epiphany came a year ago when I realized that my open-floor-plan house offered space for a pretend track, and I wouldn&#39;t need to get dressed, whine about the weather, or drive somewhere. I got so pumped that I created my &quot;routine&quot; that day: Eat less, walk more. That&#39;s it. I picked early morning to walk before work. Love the privacy and convenience! With the exception of two breaks (once for an emergency appendectomy and again when a 3-week-old kitten kept getting underfoot), I&#39;ve walked 5 or 6 days a week for a year.

My routine: Get up at 5:15 a.m., feed the kitties, put on my walking shoes, and begin fast-walking on my &quot;track&quot;: kitchen, living room, dining room, kitchen. For me, that&#39;s 30 steps or 1 lap. I walk 70 laps for a mile, 140 for 2 miles, 210 for 3 miles. Yes, I do have to count! I actually really like counting. It&#39;s kind of soothing.

What I wear: My nightie, socks, and walking shoes. Really. This is why I like walking at home. No mirrors, no pressure, no paparazzi!

What keeps me company: I turn on both the radio (NPR) and the TV (Morning Joe on MSNBC) and then switch back and forth -- thank heaven for remotes.

My inspiration: I realized that I might get old and sick if I didn&#39;t get in shape. I don&#39;t want anyone to take care of me. Plus, I hated the way I looked. In the past year, I&#39;ve lost 35 pounds!

What my kids and friends say: Some of my friends think walking at home in a nightie, counting laps, is a little weird. But my kids are my cheerleaders and are happy I&#39;m active. And people see that I&#39;m more fit and have lost weight.

What&#39;s next. I&#39;m going to add some stretches and weight lifting to my morning routine. Maybe train for a community walk. I&#39;m on a roll. But consistency is my most important goal -- to make walking as much a part of my day as going to work is. I&#39;m not going to stop!

OUTDOORS! &quot;It&#39;s social, and it gets me unstuck.&quot;

Kathy McCleary, 50, Falls Church, VA 
I hate the treadmill. HATE it. So boring. Instead, I walk outside up to six times a week. Yes, even in the rain. If you dress for it, it&#39;s okay. Besides, after spending 12 years in Oregon, wet weather doesn&#39;t bother me. But really, I walk outside because it&#39;s a great change in scenery. I&#39;m a writer, which means I work alone in a home office. Walking gives me a chance to get &quot;unstuck&quot; from my desk, and it always improves my mood and keeps me feeling healthy and good about my body. Also, I have walking &quot;dates&quot; twice a week with friends -- you can&#39;t do that on a treadmill. The chance to spend an hour walking with a pal always gets me out the door.

My routine: I walk a 3- or 4-mile route, 3 to 6 days a week, in the morning. On Tuesdays I walk with one friend and on Wednesdays with another. We alternate walking in each other&#39;s neighborhoods or at local parks. On the days I walk alone, I walk with an iPod (walking is the only time I listen to music, a nice treat) and follow a route that includes one or two big hills. I stop at a playground after 45 minutes and do a series of squats, lunges, push-ups, and dips, then finish the walk. I can now walk a mile in 14 minutes and am always trying to go a bit faster.

Why I like walking with friends: We yak the entire time. Our deal is: a) stay connected and b) commiserate over parenting teenagers so we don&#39;t kill our kids or ourselves!

What&#39;s great about walking alone: I have had ALL of my biggest writing breakthroughs on my novels while walking by myself.

What else walking has done for me: I don&#39;t know what to blame -- stress, postnursing hormones, genetics -- but I started having panic attacks when my youngest daughter was 1 (she&#39;s now 13). I was diagnosed with panic disorder and became afraid of &quot;real&quot; exercise because my heart rate got so high when I had a panic attack. My doctor suggested walking. I started out walking just a mile or so while listening to a book on tape to distract me from my heart rate. The books helped motivate me, too, because I let myself listen to them ONLY while I walked, so I had to walk to hear what happened next. After a year of increasing my time, distance, and pace, I got over my panic disorder and have been walking ever since.

Medically reviewed in March 2019.

Great Debate: Walking Indoors vs. Outdoors

You can roll out of bed and head for a walk wearing practically anything (<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/outdoor-indoor-walking" target="_blank">including your PJs; check out who&#39;s walking in those</a>). But you&#39;ll be more comfortable -- less chafing, no extra fabric flapping around -- and maybe more inspired if you dress for it. And the more comfortable you are, the longer you&#39;ll walk.

Keep it smooth. Walking, like any sport, is a repetitive action, so avoid shorts or pants in heavy, stiff, or bulky fabrics that cause friction and can lead to chafing. Nix corduroy, thick sweats, even wide-ribbed socks, and go for something smooth.

In chilly weather, layer up. Layers keep you warm when you start out, and let you peel down when you get warm. Begin with a T-shirt, then pull on something with long sleeves (a sweatshirt or fleece top) that you can take off and tie around your waist. If the weather&#39;s iffy, add a water-resistant jacket.

Make it sweat absorbing. Especially in hot weather, whatever&#39;s next to your skin should absorb perspiration and help it evaporate (that goes for socks, too). Staying cool and dry fights chafing and keeps you going. There are all sorts of synthetic blends made for workout clothes that do a great job of this (look for words like &quot;dri-fit&quot;). Avoid cotton, which just gets soggy.

Stay safe. If you&#39;re walking when there&#39;s not much light, make sure there are reflective stripes, patches, or dots on your clothes and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/best-walking-shoes" target="_blank">shoes</a>. On bright days, remember your hat, shades, and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/choosing-right-sunscreen/sunscreen-spf-sun-protection" target="_blank">sunscreen.</a>

Rock your style. Celebrate your walking commitment in something other than those old gray sweats. Good-looking walking clothes come in all shapes, sizes, and price points and can make you feel great about getting out there and racking up your steps.

Walking Gear: Look Good, Feel Great

Don&rsquo;t let cold weather stop you from burning calories and having fun with friends.

Get the Most Out of Winter Walking

1. Walk at home. Can&#39;t get out of your PJs? No problem.

2. Set a goal. Give yourself something to shoot for&mdash;like logging 10,000 steps for the first time&mdash;and you&#39;re more likely to stay in the game. A goal can be anything from making a big checkmark on the calendar for every day you walk (yes&mdash;you did it!) to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/5-ways-to-make-walking-a-habit">walking an extra mile</a>.

3. Promise a pal. Remember that popular elementary school slogan, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance? It can get you moving when your motivation is zip. How? If you have a walking date with a friend, your dog, or a group at the mall, you&#39;re much more likely to show up&mdash;and be glad you did.

4. Pump it up. Maybe what your walk needs is a little amping up to keep you interested. Could it be time to try Nordic walking or do some hill intervals? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/article/burn-fat-walking">Try these workout boosters</a>.

5. Do it because you can. There are people who can&#39;t walk (just for openers, think of all the disabled vets back from war zones). Some of our own walking buddies say that remembering that they can walk when others can&#39;t is what gets them going on their &quot;don&#39;t want to&quot; days.

6. Put on a pedometer. It turns walking into a game. Didn&#39;t get your steps in today? See how many you can take while making dinner. Then challenge yourself to do 2,000 more while watching Dancing with the Stars (it will be a cinch compared to the on-screen steps).

7. Do it anyway. The hardest step is the first one. Once you step out the door or onto the treadmill, you&#39;re likely to keep going. Stop searching for reasons not to go, and get out there.

Medically reviewed in April 2019.

What to Do When You Don't Feel Like Walking

Even if you don&#39;t sport a hybrid car, and you sometimes forget to recycle, here&#39;s another way you can save the planet&mdash;and get skinny to boot: Lace up those walking shoes.

One scientist estimated that if everyone in the United States substituted an hour of walking a day for driving the same distance, oil consumption would be slashed by 38 percent. And the average Joe would burn 26 pounds a year!

It all adds up 
A daily walk is one small step for you, but possibly one major collective step forward for humankind. If we all were a little less car-minded and a little more walking-minded, it would save billions in healthcare costs related to obesity. And what if those savings were applied to carbon-abatement programs? It&#39;s estimated that climate protection on that scale could reduce carbon emissions by up to 35 percent.

More ways to be green and healthy 
Eco-friendly habits and age-reduction habits often go hand in hand. Here are a few more ways to save the planet and make your <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge</a> younger at the same time:

<ul>
	<li>Add some greenery to your home.</li>
	<li>Drink more water. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/water-liquid-nutrient/article/tap-water-vs-bottled">From the tap!</a></li>
	<li>Kick chemicals <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/chemical-toxins/article/dangerous-chemicals-home-cleaners-products">out of your house</a>.</li>
</ul>

Save the Planet, Get Skinny

One of the many great things about walking is that everyone knows how to do it. But if it&#39;s your main way to exercise, a few form tweaks will help you burn extra calories.

Body 
Stand up straight, as if a string is pulling your spine upward. Don&#39;t lean forward as if you&#39;re heading into a stiff breeze.

Eyes 
Look straight ahead, not down at your <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/exercise-fitness/walking/best-walking-shoes" target="_blank">cool new shoes</a>.

Arms 
Relax your shoulders, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, and move them back and forth (not across your chest) as you walk. This helps propel you forward and gives your arms a light workout. Don&#39;t bring your hands up near your face or develop a punching motion; just drive your elbow back at waist height.

Hands 
Keep hands relaxed, in a loose fist (don&#39;t clench or flap them around).

Legs 
Your stride should feel right to you. It won&#39;t feel fluid if your steps are too short or too long. Aim for a smooth, rhythmic, natural pace.

Feet 
Once you hit your natural stride, your foot will roll from heel to toe. Then think about pushing off with your toes -- it helps you walk faster and burn more calories.

Walk This Way: Tips for Better Form

Having trouble finding time for your daily 30-minute walk? Then make a date with this old pal: your dog.

Studies have shown that dog ownership has some decided health benefits, not the least of which is that a furry friend helps get people into better shape&mdash;even more so than a human walking partner!

See spot walk 
Researchers at the University of Missouri wanted to see just how helpful it was to walk with a dog. So they assigned seniors to one of three <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/fitness-and-exercise/walking/3-tips-to-start-your-walking-workout">walking programs</a>: walking with a dog, walking with a friend, or walking alone. And they found that the people who hoofed it with a canine companion increased their walking speeds by an impressive 28 percent. People strolling alone or with a human companion only upped their speeds by about 5 percent.

The canine effect 
Why did the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/walking/what-tips-walking-with-dog" target="_blank">dog walkers </a>have so much more spring in their steps? The researchers posit that dog walking improved the seniors&#39; balance and confidence, making them want to walk even more. Add to this the fact that pet owners tend to handle stress better, be more emotionally stable and make fewer trips to the doctor than pet-free people, and you&#39;ve got a lot of reasons to thank your pooch for his presence.&nbsp;

Medically reviewed in December 2019.

The Best Walking Partner

The deceptively simple path to a fit bod begins with the easiest activity in the world: walking.

Every get-fit plan should start with a basic 30-minute daily walk for 30 days. It will prime your body for the muscle-toning and stamina-building exercises you need in order to go from couch potato to hot tamale. Cheat or skip this simple step and you run the risk of injuring yourself and falling off the fitness wagon.

First Things First 
According to expert Mehmet Oz, MD, an out-of-shape muscle is deficient in two things: tiny powerhouse factories (called mitochondria) that generate juice for your workouts, and contractile proteins that give the muscle strength. And walking for 30 minutes a day -- or for 10 minutes three times a day -- for a month replenishes mitochondria and contractile proteins, so your body will be ready and able to build on your fitness routine.

Take the Next Step 
When you&#39;re ready to expand your exercise program, follow Dr. Oz&#39;s guidelines for sculpting a lean, healthy body:

<ul>
	<li>After 30 days of walking, add 10 minutes of resistance training, focusing on the large muscle groups of your body (back, abs, quads, glutes, shoulders, and hamstrings) every other day.</li>
	<li>The next month, add another 10 minutes of resistance training, hitting your remaining muscle groups (chest, shoulders, and arms) every other day.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/fitness-and-exercise/strength-training/beginner-resistance-workout-to-manage-pain" target="_blank">Ease into strength training with the resistance workout for beginners.</a></li>
	<li>Congratulations! After 90 days, you&#39;ll be ready to bust out your cutest workout gear and showcase your skills in Salsa Step or Morning Muscle Up class. Add 21 minutes of stamina-building exercise to your routine three times a week.</li>
</ul>