If, like many people, you would like to lose weight and get into better shape, then it really is quite simple (and achievable). In order to lose weight you must use up more calories as a result of physical activity than you consume by eating and drinking. If you burn off more calories than you consume on a regular and consistent basis then your weight will fall. There is no magic formula, health supplement or pill that will change that.

So if you are after weight loss then you can eat and drink less (diet), use up more calories (exercise) – or both. Doing both simultaneously is, without any shadow of a doubt, the best option. Regular physical exercise will increase your metabolic rate – the speed at which you burn calories. If you exercise on a regular basis then your higher metabolic rate will mean that you use up calories faster even when you’re not taking exercise – for example, when you’re sitting reading a book, watching the TV – even when you’re sound asleep.

Unfortunately, for many people the very idea of taking exercise can be off-putting – but there’s absolutely no reason to shy away from exercise – it doesn’t need you to get all hot and sweaty. Walking is one of the very best forms of exercise that you can take part in, and it’s something which the majority of us do on a daily basis anyway. You just need to walk a little further and a little more often in order to reap the rewards – and there are numerous health benefits available to those who walk on a regular and consistent basis.

According to health and fitness experts we should all be aiming to take around 10,000 steps daily. For most people that approximates to a distance of somewhere between four and a half and five miles. It does sound like a long way – but it’s considerably easier to achieve than you might imagine. Remember – the 10,000 steps target is the total distance, which includes the normal walking that you do as you go about your daily business anyway. You already have a base to build upon.

Leave the car at home and walk to work – or get off the bus a couple of stops early and finish the last part of your journey on foot. If you do take the car then just park it in a corner of the parking lot that’s well away from the entrance so that you have a greater distance to walk. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Take a fifteen minute walk at lunch time. It soon mounts up.

A good pair of comfortable shoes are all you need to get started with a walking exercise program – no other equipment is required. However, a pedometer might be a worthwhile investment for you – especially if a lot of your walking is subdivided into short sessions throughout your day. It will track your results in terms of the number of steps taken, the total distance covered and the number of calories burned – whichever you find most interesting. This should help to keep you motivated.

An mp3 player might be a good idea if you don’t already have one. The time and the miles will pass much more quickly when you’re walking along listening to your favorite tunes.

Finally, you might want to look at how some of the latest exercise footwear – such as Reebok Easy Tones, Skecher’s Shape Ups or Fitflops - can help to boost the effectiveness of your walking to lose weightworkout. These all claim to increase the amount of work done during normal walking – thereby increasing the return on your investment of time.

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