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Walking is a powerful answer to your exercise questions. The benefits of a consistent walking program include improved circulation, weight loss, improved health, decreased progression of degenerative joint disease and improved oxygen use. Walking is significantly easier to maintain than other programs and you don?t have to find a specific area to do your workout. Use walking to improve your health, feelings of well-being and reduce your stress level.

Believe it or not, although you walk every day, when you start a walking program for exercise you should begin slowly. If you begin too quickly you risk an injury, like in any other exercise program.

This is a wonderful routine for people who have been sedentary or who have a significant amount of weight to lose. Walking is a good exercise when you are recovering from an injury or doing rehabilitation.

The drop out rate in a walking exercise program is significantly lower than in other forms of exercise. It is much easier to get into a habit of walking for 20-30 minutes each day than it is to form a habit using aerobics, running, swimming or cycling. In each of these other sports you are required to specialized equipment or clothing and do the work out in a specific location.

When you are walking your routine can happen where you?d like! Walking can be done indoors or outdoors. Many shopping malls open early in the morning so that people can walk indoors. Of course the merchants also understand that the walkers are likely to make a purchase or two when the stores open. You can also use a treadmill to walk in your own home or the gym.

Walking is inexpensive ? a pair of supportive shoes and any clothing you?d like. And it is convenient. Walking gives you time to be introspective each day. Many people find this is the most creative time of their day because they are no longer pulled by outside influences.

Walking with a partner allows you to have some time to socialize as well as exercise. When you are walking you should always be able to hold a conversation or you are expending too much energy and should slow down. By increasing the intensity of walking too quickly you actually lose the benefits.

When you begin a program keep several things in mind. Make a commitment to yourself. Set a short-term (4-6 week) goal to achieve. Write the goal down and look at it often. Keep your commitment; it?s the only way to achieve your goals.

Although it may not feel necessary, walk with a bottle of water and stay hydrated. When you walk you don?t sweat as profusely as you do with other exercise but you also can work out longer than you might when you are running. The sweat loss isn?t as evident ? but you still must drink to maintain your hydration.

I can be very easy to get bored with your walking routine when you use the same routes and times each day. Vary the route and the time of day if you can. The terrain looks different at dawn than it does at 2 pm. Change your routes, include some friends, change the time of day, and change your pace. In other words ? keep it interesting. You?ll be more apt to maintain a routine if you don?t get bored.

Walking improves your overall well-being, respiratory system, joints, weight loss and circulation. It?s cheap, easy, convenient, and has a low drop out rate. As far as exercise routines go, it has it all. Walking can make a difference in your life. Try it today!

# posted by Jessica @ 10:00 AM 0 comments

You may be saving for retirement, but not sure whether you will live long enough to retire. What a waste of your money!

To keep healthy you need a plan. Not just any plan, but a health plan. One that involves a healthy diet and exercise. If you have a family, the plan should include everyone, not just you. You need to exercise, and to eat healthily.

If you do exercise routines ? it could be cycling or another activity ? then each person will help the other. And you know everyone is getting some exercise ? no slacking. Children will exercise so long as the exercise is interesting ? make it a game, or roller skating, or football or whatever ? but make sure it is fun and goes on long enough to be real exercise.

How long? Well, if it is true aerobic exercise, raising the heartbeat by about 40%, 10 minutes is enough. If it is lighter exercise you will need at least 30 minutes ? or 2 hours a week.

What about food? Don't eat junk food like McDonalds or KFC ? and don't allow your children do so, either. They are full of fat. Now some fat is good and some is bad but they have lots of saturated fat ? that's bad and puts the weight on in no time. On the other hand, olive oil, nuts and seeds are among the foods that have plenty of the good fats, the sort your body needs to keep going.

To improve your diet, eat less red meat and chicken and more fish, nuts, seeds pulses ? these are beans mostly. Also, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. And make it part of your plan. Cookies? Throw them in the bin now, and learn to make tasty alternatives.

As you get closer to retirement, you will need to eat less because you are not burning up the calories. The way to do this is more of the same ? don't eat red meat, and do eat more pulses, while grains, vegetables and fruit.

With a plan like this you will enjoy your retirement.

About the Author:

Retire Healthy

# posted by Jessica @ 9:13 AM 0 comments

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets such as the South Beach and Atkins diet but the GI or glycemic index diet is a fairly new name on the diet scene. While low carb diets restrict the quantity of carbohydrates, the GI diet focuses on the quality of carbohydrates. It works by promoting the consumption of foods that are low on the glycemic index, foods which will have a gently effect on your blood sugar levels and keep you full longer.

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets such as the South Beach and Atkins diet but the GI or glycemic index diet is a fairly new name on the diet scene. While low carb diets restrict the quantity of carbohydrates, the GI diet focuses on the quality of carbohydrates. It works by promoting the consumption of foods that are low on the glycemic index, foods which will have a gently effect on your blood sugar levels and keep you full longer.

A typical low carb diet, has a restrictive phase in the beginning where your carbohydrate intake is severely limited. You can eat all the meat you want and fats are also unlimited, although the South Beach Diet does encourage you to stick to low fat meats and healthy fats. As the diet progresses, you can gradually add in more carbohydrates, typically those with a low glycemic index are also those that are lower in carbs.

Although a low GI diet might be new to you, it has actually been around since the 1970s and is used in many European countries to help manage diabetes. Recently, however, this way of eating has gotten a lot of attention as a healthy way to control weight. This diet focuses on carbohydrates good carbs have a low glycemic index and you should eat plenty of them (incidentally, these are also the foods that we know to be good for us like fruits, vegetables and whole grains). Bad carbs have a high glycemic index and should be eaten in moderation and mixed with the low glycemic index carbs to lower the overall GI of a meal. Since this diet focuses only on carbs it is very easy for vegetarians to adopt this way of eating.

In comparison, a low carb diet can be limiting in fruits and vegetables which are high in vitamins, minerals and enzymes as well as fiber. Many people associate low carb diets with a license to eat as much saturated fat as you want, but that choice is up to the individual so we really cant fault the diet for this misconception. A low GI diet is full of fruits, vegetables, fiber and low in fat but emphasis the good fats found in nuts. It encourages eating lean meats in moderation.

While we all know that meats and fats are no carb and green leafy vegetables are low carb, some may not be aware of what foods have a low glycemic index. Most vegetables (except potatoes, beets, pumpkin) have a very low GI. Some fruits that have a low GI include citrus fruits, apples, plums and peaches while most other fruits have a medium GI value. Oatmeal, most pasta and whole wheat bread also have a low gi.

So which diet is best?

Where many people in the health and nutrition profession consider a low carb diet to be unhealthy, most everyone would consider a gi diet to be very healthy. Studies have shown that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help to bolster your immune system thus allowing you to fight disease and eating high fat meats may adversely affect your health and help contribute to heart disease. That being said, it has also been shown that being overweight is a major health risk for many diseases so the best diet is probably one that works for you! Some folks might respond better to a low carb, others to a low gi. Either way, it makes sense to make healthy food choices, limit food intake and exercise for your good health.

About the Author: Lee Dobbins is contributing writer at http://www.lowcarb-resource.com where you can find out more about low carb and low gi eating. View our handy list of the glycemic value of foods at: http://www.lowcarb-resource.com/foods-low-in-glycemic-index.html