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Walking for Fitness: The distance is nothingWalking for fitness must be the easiest and most natural form of exercise there is. It is a great way to lose weight, tone your muscles, strengthen your heart and increase your self-esteem. The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult. ~Marie de Vichy-Chamrond, Marquise du Deffand, letter to Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, 7 July 1763 It can also reduce your risk of a heart attack. Walking keeps your heart healthy by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). A regular walking program also reduces your risk of developing high blood pressure, a factor that also contributes to heart disease. If you're a woman, overweight and at a high risk of diabetes, walking can improve your body's ability to process sugar (glucose tolerance). Walking burns calories, so it can help you manage your weight. Walking regularly reduces stress and lifts your spirits. Going for a brisk walk is a great way to reduce stress. Regular walking also helps you sleep better. 
Walking in a TranceWalking for fitness and hypnosis compliment each other in many ways. Hypnosis can help you to stay motivated to exercise and increase your self-confidence.Walking can also be a crucial part of hypnosis. If you are kinaesthetic, if you learn, talk and understand better when you are allowed to move (bet your teacher complained that you fidget in class), then walking while listening to your hypnosis recording will be much more successful than if you forced yourself to lie still on the bed. Kinaesthetics can reach deep trance states while walking or running. Runners often refer to this state as “the zone” on “in the flow.” Always keep yourself safe. Walking for fitness with a walkman or i-pod can be dangerous, especially if you walk close to traffic, because it distracts you and reduces your hearing ability. And always warm up. Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm. Warming up your muscles reduces your risk of injury. After warming up, stretch your muscles for about five minutes before walking. Start slow and easy, especially if you've been inactive for a long time. Walk only as far as and as fast as you find comfortable. If you can walk for only a few minutes, that’s fine. You can start with short daily sessions of three to five minutes and slowly build up to 15 minutes twice a week. In time, over several weeks, you can work your way up to 30 minutes of walking five days a week. Remember to cool down after each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches. Starting a walking for fitness program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. But when you think of the potential health benefits, it's well worth the effort. Walking comfortably for 30 minutes to an hour a day is the level recommended to help prevent heart disease, type II diabetes, breast and colon cancer. Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. ~Soren Kierkegaard Promenade à la françaiseCopy the French, and incorporate more opportunities to walk into your day.• Park your car in the space that is the furthest away and walk to the shops/work • If you take the train/bus get off a stop too early and walk the rest of the way • Walk to work • On your lunch break go for a walk around the block • Don’t take the lift, use the stairs • Go for a walk with the whole family at the weekend • Plan a new walk for each weekend: in the woods, countryside, local park... • Plan to go walking for fitness once a week with a friend instead of meeting for lunch • Rather than meeting friends for coffee, suggest going for a walk • If you run out of milk, walk to the local shop to buy some - don't drive • Walk whilst talking on the phone • Lose the remote control • Contact local walking clubs and join in [Hiking] is the best workout!... You can hike for three hours and not even realize you're working out. And, hiking alone lets me have some time to myself. ~Jamie Luner
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