There's growing agreement among exercise researchers that the intense physical activities offered by most health clubs are not the only--or even the preferable--path to better health. Indeed, the best thing for most of us may be to just walk.
Yes, walk. At a reasonably vigorous clip (three to four m.p.h.) for half an hour or so, maybe five or six times a week. You may not feel the benefits all at once, but the evidence suggests that over the long term, a regular walking routine can do a world of preventive good.
Walking, in fact, may be the perfect exercise. For starters, it's one of the safest things you can do with your body. It's much easier on the knees than running and doesn't trigger untoward side effects.
Because walking affects you in so many ways at once, it can be difficult to determine precisely why it's good for you. But much of the evidence gathered so far is compelling:
Walking briskly for at least half an hour consumes a couple hundred calories and boosts your metabolic rate for the rest of the day, giving you a better chance of winning the battle of the bulge.
Studies show that women who exercised regularly as children and young adults and had a healthy intake of calcium decreased their risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.
