According to the Fitness Products Council, walking is America's most popular form of exercise: More than 33 million people make walking their regular workout.
As you may already know, walking can help improve your quality of life and may help reduce disease risks. Regular moderate walking uses 150 calories a day, or burns off 1,000 calories per week. Such activity can substantially reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, says the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health.
The best way to reap the benefits of walking is to start or join a walking group, say devotees. Besides offering social stimulation, a walking group can provide more incentive to stick to a training schedule and may make it easier for you to set and meet fitness goals. For example, some people in walking groups also act as dieting "buddies" for each other and help each other meet weight loss goals.
Margarita Naish of Los Angeles started walking in the same park every day and soon found herself meeting others; she formed her own group.
"Besides being an enjoyable way to develop new friendships, being in a group makes it easier to show up on days where I don't particularly feel like exercising," she said.
"We all go to the park the same time every day and meet up for our walks. I vary the workout with a little resistance training by carrying hand weights on certain days," Naish adds.
"I had my first baby at age 42 and the walking group started by my local maternity supply store helped my postpartum recovery and emotional health," says Josie Fina of Arcadia, Calif. "I was out of shape and exhausted but I found great support from the women in my group."
