| So you're overweight, and you've decided to do | | | | way up if you have a partner. Well, finding |
| something about it and start doing some aerobic | | | | someone who wants to start a walking regimen is |
| exercise. Congratulations! Every change begins | | | | going to be a lot easier than finding someone who |
| with a firm decision, and there are few decisions | | | | wants to start a running workout. |
| better than deciding to make a change that can | | | | You're more likely to stick with it. It's true. An |
| literally add years to your life, and life to your | | | | awful lot of people start jogging only to give up a |
| years. But where do you start? Which cardio | | | | few days or weeks after taking it up. There are |
| builder is better -- running or walking? Well, I | | | | a lot of reasons for this, but some of them are |
| believe walking is, hands down, and here are | | | | shin pain, injuries, fatigue, lack of progress, etc. |
| some reasons why. | | | | And let's not forget the unpleasantness factor! |
| It's safer. If you're overweight and out of shape, | | | | There's just no getting around it -- running is not |
| jogging or running is not a good idea. In fact, it's | | | | much fun, and can be downright nasty. So odds |
| probably the last thing you should be doing. | | | | are you will persevere much longer walking to |
| Running is a high impact exercise and you're | | | | lose weight than running. |
| risking doing some serious damage to your feet, | | | | It burns more calories than running. Huh? Yep, |
| ankles, or knees from the pounding they'll take if | | | | hard as it is to believe, it's true. Brisk walking |
| you begin running after years of inactivity. And | | | | expends more energy than a slow jog. And most |
| don't even get me started on the stress you'll be | | | | people who need to lose a lot of weight are |
| putting on your heart! Running is just too | | | | never going to be able to run faster than a slow |
| dangerous for overweight people who've been | | | | jog. At least not for a long time. But if they would |
| sedentary for years. | | | | just walk fast, they would burn a lot more |
| Walking is more pleasant than jogging. Let's face | | | | calories. |
| it, no matter how much you've heard about | | | | Everyone has to make their own decision about |
| "runner's high", you and I both know that it's going | | | | what aerobic exercise is best for them, but for |
| to take months and months of running, or more, | | | | the vast majority of people, fitness walking is a |
| to experience that. And, frankly, running is just | | | | far better choice than jogging. Your odds of |
| downright unpleasant and no fun. Walking is | | | | enjoying your exercise program, and sticking with |
| something we do every day, and it's a lot more | | | | it, are far higher if you walk rather than run. |
| enjoyable than jogging. | | | | Which means you're far more likely to achieve |
| It's easier to find a walking partner. Your chances | | | | your weight loss goals. |
| of staying with an exercise program go way, | | | | |