Walking for fitness, fun and weight loss is something almost everyone of us is capable of doing. After all, walking is something we do quite naturally from a very early age. So, no skills to learn, not even any equipment to buy. What are you waiting for?

Pushing too hard at the beginning is the main reason why people don’t continue exercising. There is no reason why including walking as part of your daily routine should not become something you do for life.

But before you rush in with both feet, to get the most from this simplest form of exercise, it is worth following some sort of plan. This will help to keep it fun to do and maintain the motivation to continue - something that most physical activities fail to achieve in the long term.

Walking, especially for fitness and weight loss, combined with a sensible diet is much better than introducing an intense exercise routine and crash-dieting. The benefits will be more gradual, but easier to maintain in the long term.

If weight loss is your motivation for taking up walking for exercise, aim to achieve one or two pounds weight loss a week. This may not sound very much, but it will be easily attainable by most people, and by this time next year you will have lost at least three stone!

If you are normally fit and active, and don’t suffer from any medical problems that could affect your ability to exercise, the simplest way to get started is to walk out of your own front door. It is no more difficult than that! Follow a familiar route for about ten minutes at normal walking pace, then turn around and return home.

Some people travel to a park or out into the countryside to start walking. But this requires extra time and effort, and can become an excuse not to go walking, where as beginning from your own front door requires little effort or organization.

If you are starting your walking plan after a long period away from regular exercise, then twenty minutes or so will be enough to begin with. After about a week, you can increase the time and pace. Either extend your walk, or go out twice in the same day.

As with any exercise, your body will benefit from a gentle warm up. This is best achieved by walking at your normal pace for the first five minutes before stepping up the exercise. Your heart rate, blood circulation and breathing will increase gradually and your body will then be ready for a brisker pace.

A brisk pace is a little faster and needs slightly more exertion than your normal walking pace. A good indication of a brisk pace is when you feel your heart working harder and you feel a little out of breath, but still able to hold a conversation

Finally, don’t forget to also include a period of cooling down. The best way to cool down is to gently reduce your brisk pace back to your normal walking pace for the final five minutes, so that your body can return to normal. By doing this you should reduce the chance of getting muscle soreness and stiffness.