Treadmill walking is one of the easiest ways to get in shape and burn fat. In fact, mile for mile, you can burn as many calories walking as you would jogging. Walking is also one of the best stress relieving exercises and anyone can do it, regardless of fitness level.

Want to start a treadmill walking program? Here are 5 tips to help you get the most walking bang for your buck:

1) Get your arms pumping.

Bring your upper body into your workout by pumping your arms. This is an easy way to burn more calories while walking. If you want to tone up and use more arm muscle during your workout, try carrying 2 – 5 pound handweights.

Bonus Benefit: pumping your arms propels you forward and helps you move faster – which means more distance covered and more calories burned!

2) Build in incline intervals.
Walking on an incline is one of the fastest ways to drastically skyrocket your calorie burn. But you don’t have to spend your whole workout on an incline. Try building in 30 – 60 second intervals of incline walking on your treadmill every 5 to 10 minutes.

If you’re walking outside and can’t control your incline, try stopping every few minutes and doing 10 – 15 squats or lunges to tone your lower body.

Bonus Benefit: Building in intervals will also help your body continue to burn calories post-workout.

3) Increase your pace, not your stride

Got short legs? No problem! Instead of increasing your stride (and possibly pulling something), increase the number of steps you take. This also increases your speed which means more distance covered and more calories burned.

4) Invest in a pair of excellent walking shoes

Walking in poor shoes can cause damage to your feet, knees, hips, joints and back. Wear poor shoes and you may not be walking for a long time!

If you want to feel great after a walking workout (and be ready for the next one tomorrow), make sure you have the best possible walking shoes you can afford.

Bonus Benefit: A solid pair of walking shoes can actually help you lengthen the time that you walk, which again means more calories burned.

5) Take plenty of time to warm up and stretch to avoid injury.

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do for stress relief and long term fat loss. However there’s this little thing called shinsplints that can threaten to put you out of walking commission for a while.

Many walkers and runners struggle with this problem. This constant repetitive flexing of the shin muscle can create soreness when a walker increases their speed or distance.

To help ward off shin splints or other muscle injury, take plenty of time to warm up before you really get into your workout.

Also, make sure you stretch. Pointing and flexing your foot helps stretch and build the shin muscle. Ankle rotations also help with this. Stretching properly will definitely keep you happy and walking for a long time to come!

So there you have it – 5 essential walking exercise tips. Keep these in mind and you’re guaranteed to enjoy many stress-relieving, fat burning walks!

If you are one of the many people who cannot imagine themselves sitting on a chair knitting or just reading newspapers and books for long period of hours during the retirement years, then you need to take care of your knees now. If you are active, athletic and you love the outdoors, you may already be hurting your knees without knowing it. Majority of the four million people in the US who are suffering from knee problems did not actually get their injuries from sports accidents or one-time events. Usually, knee woes develop overtime and people only discover their problems when it is already too late to cure.

If you love dancing, running, skipping, jumping, and doing strenuous exercises, you probably need to read the tips below so that you can continue having an active life when you reach your 70s or 80s:

Watch Your Weight

Individuals who are overweight and obese have higher risks of developing serious knee problems in the future. Thus, it is really advisable to maintain your ideal weight. Just being a few pounds overweight for decades can still have an impact on the health of your knees.

However, if you are already overweight or obese, you should lose weight safely. You cannot just jog for three hours everyday without consulting your doctor. Such extremely strenuous activity is proven to damage your knees.

Pay Attention To Your Form

If you are into sports or any other physical activities, you need to know how to move your feet and balance your body. From playing badminton to striking with your knees in Taekwondo, you need to know the proper stance. Doing things incorrectly can hurt not only your knees, but your back as well.

Warm Up And Cool Down

If you want to wake up in the morning hurting all over, all you need to do is to perform vigorous exercises without warming up and cooling down. Warming up is important to prevent injuries. Thus, even if you just plan to walk around with your dog, you need to warm your cold muscles by walking slowly at first before speeding up.

The best way to cool down is by stretching your muscles, particularly those located in your thighs and lower legs. You need to stretch after working out so that your tight muscles will be relaxed.

Use Good Athletic Shoes

Have you ever wondered why there are so many types of shoes for different sports and activities? The main reason behind this is not really because shoemakers just want to earn a lot of money. Actually, wearing the right pair of shoes can help reduce tension and strain on your knees and back. The spikes in soccer shoes and cushions in basketball shoes are not just for aesthetic purposes. You need them to lessen the impact on your joints and knees, and to keep you safe from injuries.

Be sure to buy shoes that fit well too – not too tight and not too loose. If you are very active, you also need to replace your shoes regularly.

Supplement With Chondroitin Sulfate And Glucosamine Sulfate

Both glucosamine and chondroitin are important in preserving and protecting your cartilage. Our bodies produce glucosamine naturally; however, as we grow older, the production of this stuff decreases.

Many people have already attested to the effectiveness of these two substances in helping prevent future joint problems. In fact, a number of athletes in the US and Europe are already taking supplements that contain these two ingredients.

Runner’s Question: Ok I am about 30 pounds overweight and have tried walking but I always quit doing it. I started running about two weeks ago (and haven’t done it in about 10 years) and I really enjoy how it makes me feel. I have started slow and I’m not trying to overdo it. And I make sure to stretch and all that.

But my problem is now my knees are killing me! Is this normal? Will it go away? Is it something I will get used to? My husband says it shin splints, but I don’t know. Is it my shoes? What shoes do you recommend for someone without much arch? Thanks for any advice!

Add your two cents! Answer this question (or check out the other answers) in the comments section below.