walkvour

wavfit

Walking is the ultimate bargain

exercise, proving you don’t need

fancy equipment or pricey gyms

to get fit. But you do need to

mix it up. Here are three

different walks to keep your

heart healthy, your waistline trim,

and your stress levels down.

by KAREN ASP

Walking works. You know it. Trouble is, you’re not

sure how to evolve your walking program beyond

the same moderate-paced walk that’s not getting

you the results you want, especially if you’re hoping

to shed some pounds.

“After about six weeks of doing the same

workout, your body adapts and no longer has to

work as hard,” says Amy Dixon, exercise

physiologist and fitness trainer in Santa Monica,

California, and creator of the

Give Me 10

DVD.

That explains why, even though your heart is

happy, you might not be thrilled with the number

on the scale—which seems to have gotten stuck.

The solution? Challenge yourself by changing your

intensity and pace. “Change requires change, which

is why you need to vary your walks,” Dixon says.

We’ve put together three different types of

walks, each of which offers a unique challenge to

your body. Start with the endurance walk and then

sprinkle the other two walks into your week. Over

time, as your walking program continues to evolve,

so, too, will your body, making you fitter, leaner,

and healthier.

PHOTO: (WOMEN WALKING) GETTY IMAGES; NOAH CLAYTON COLLECTION: RISER