Walking Exercise

Walking is free, easy and a great way to keep fit. Here are some tips to make it more effective.

• Using Nordic walking poles exercises more muscles (around 90%) than normal walking (around 70%)  and burns up to 46% more calories than normal walking. You can buy the poles and just start but it helps to learn the technique - see nordicwalking.co.uk
• Posture is key to good walking technique. Aim to walk tall, head up and chin parallel to the ground, eyes focused ahead, shoulders relaxed and bottom tucked in.
• If you add just 5 minutes to your usual walk each day, that is 30 minutes a week. Gradually increase the length of time you walk.
• Focus on your core. Pull your tummy muscles in as far as you can, then release them by 50% and hold them at this halfway point. At the same time, keep as much distance as possible between your belly button and the bottom of your bra. Maintain that as much as you can as you walk. It may help to think of your pelvis as a bowl full of water - you need that length and strength to keep the water from sloshing out.
• Mindful walking can help de-stress. As you walk shift your focus to the here and now; pay attention to the feel of the ground underfoot, the sun or wind on your face and thesounds, sights and smells around you.
• Eat after walking - new research suggests you may burn more fat. 
• Eat the right foods. Wait 3 to 4 hours after eating a large meal, as it takes this time to digest fats and proteins. Have a small meal 1 to 3 hours before walking, balancing carbs, fats and protein. If walking more than 2 hours, pack high carb snacks. Don't get dehydrated - water is the best drink, wait until you are thirsty and match your intake to your rate of sweating. After a long walk, protein and carbs are the best combination. Consider some saltier food if you've had a very kong day and/or have sweated a lot.
• Walk to build strength. Try some hills - makes the muscles work harder; even better is to walk up steps. If you can't find hills, walk up and down stairs at home 10 times before setting off for a walk. Stand on one leg - doing this for 3minutes a day increases bone density because of the additional weight bearing. Walk like a crab - this involves different muscles; intersperse your walking routine with three or four sesions of walking sideways for a few minutes. It's also good to mix the terrain - roads, grass, mud and sand.