healthy you
WEIGHT LOSS
The Shoe Fits
Good shoes are essential to injury prevention. Since they
break down with time and use, replace shoes every year.
And invest in proper walking socks, such as Drymax,
drymaxsocks.com
($20 for a 3-pack), to prevent blisters.
1
.IF YOU USE Treadmills, other aerobic machines
TRY
New Balance WX
10 10
This shoe has a breathable lining that keeps feet cool and
dry, even while sweating. The versatile WX1010 also is good
for light outdoor jogs. $110,
newbalance.com
2
. IF YOU USE Unpaved trails, hiking routes
TRY
Merrell Chameleon Arc Stretch
Bigger, deeper treads give better traction. Built for
additional stability, even when the going gets a little
slippery or tricky. $100,
merrell.com
3
. IF YOU USE Sidewalks, malls, paved trails
TRY
Saucony Omni
Hard surfaces are tough on joints. The Omni is a lace-
on shock absorber: An internal grid system promotes
stability and lessens impact. $90,
saucony.com
Pavement-
Pounding
Pooches
Dog owners know that no creatu re on
earth gets more excited about a W-A-L-K.
And it’s even a little contagious: One study
showed that dog owners get almost twice
as much exercise as those without
dogs—for a total of about an hour a day,
most days of the week.
If you like the thought of a canine
walking companion, here are some
common sense things to keep in mind,
courtesy of Jenna Stregowski, R.V.T., a
registered veterinary technician at
Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Atlanta
and the dog expert for the Web site
Dogs.About.com.
■
Almost any dog, any age, can be trained
to walk on a leash, but it’s best to start
young. Familiarize your puppy with a
collar and leash in the house starting at
6 weeks, but don’t wal k around u nfamil iar
dogs until your pup has had all of his parvo
(a potentially fatal virus) vaccines, at
arou nd 4 months. Professional training
produces the happiest walkers. Contact
your local Animal Rescue League to find a
good training program.
■ Easiest to walk are herders, such as
Australian and German shepherds, collies,
and corgis. Harder: pullers, like huskies and
malamutes, and muscular, strong-willed
dogs— mastiffs, Great Danes, dobermans,
and American bulldogs.
■ Male dogs and trackers (beagles and
terriers, for example) love to stop and sniff,
and mark their turf. Compromise. Allow
them one or two special spots to do this,
but keep them on task the rest of the time
oryou’ll never be able to break a sweat.
■ Most trainers recommend a
front-attaching harness that
discourages pulling (brands include
Easy Walk or Gentle Leader, found at
pet stores). Couple the harness with an
adjustable standard leash. Forget
retractable leashes, which encourage
pulling, and choke collars, which can
damage a dog’s airway.
■ Want to practice before you purchase?
Plenty of animal shelters welcome
volunteer dog-walkers for as little or as
much time as you can devote.
W alk at W ork
Take part in National Start! Walking Day
We’re spending more time at work than ever,
at jobs that are physically inactive. Wouldn’t it
make sense to address both issues at the same
time? You can, on April 8, with National Start!
Walking Day, an initiative developed by the
American Heart Association.
For more on National
Start! Walking Day, visit
BHG.com /startw alking
@ INVITE YOUR COWORKERS TO
BRING A PAIR OF SNEAKERS.
@ GATHER A GROUP FOR A
PLEASANT 30-MINUTE WALK
OVER THE LUNCH HOUR.
@ CHANGE ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS
ON THIS DAY TO A WALKING
MEETING AND GET OUT FROM
BEHIND THAT CONFERENCE
TABLE. (TALK AS YOU WALK.)
@ GET YOUR COMPANY INVOLVED
IN CREATING A WALKING-
FRIENDLY WORKPLACE. FOR
SUGGESTIONS ON DOING THIS,
VISIT
AM ERICANHEAKT.ORG
AND
SEARCH FOR NATIONAL START!
WALKING DAY.
212
APRIL2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTOS: (SHOES) MARTY BALDWIN; (WOMAN WALKING DOGS) VEER
