by Travis Mitchell

Created on: January 09, 2010

Incorporating just a little extra walking into your daily routine is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to sneak some much needed exercise into your life.

According to The Walking Site, a person will burn an average of 100 calories for each mile that they walk. While individual results will obviously vary, the amount of calories you burn will rise dramatically according to the speed at which you are walking.

It is generally understood for example that at the slightly brisk pace of 3 mph, you will burn roughly 4 calories per minute, which amounts to 240 calories an hour. Not bad for simply putting one foot in front of the other.

Burning calories is not the only benefit to walking however. Regular exercise of any sort improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure and reduces stress, among many other things.

The best thing about walking in particular though is that it’s so easy to fit it into an otherwise busy day. Setting aside a period of time to “work out” can be an unnecessary hassle whereas the simple act of walking can be seamlessly integrated into your day.

First let’s take a look at what you can do in your own home. If you live in a two story house, make a point to walk up and down the stairs several times during the day. Also, make an effort to use the upstairs bathroom instead of the more convenient one downstairs.

When it comes to work, consider walking there if your job is reasonably close to where you live. If you drive to work, try parking your vehicle as far as possible from the main entrance. If you take public transportation however, try getting off at an earlier stop and then walking the remainder of the distance.

If your workplace is not on the ground floor, walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. And during lunch hour, consider walking out to a restaurant to get your lunch instead of driving or ordering in.

If you have young children and their school is close to home, walk them there in the mornings. The same goes for playgrounds, swimming pools etc.

Incorporating walking into your social life is also easy. A regular meet at the bar or coffeehouse can be turned into a leisurely evening walk instead. Or, if you are determined to have a cup of coffee or a few drinks no matter what, maybe you should consider walking to these places provided that they’re close enough.

With minimal effort and just a little get up and go attitude, incorporating walking into your daily routine couldn’t be easier.

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