When Walking Isn't Enough

How to Add Variety to Your Walking Program

-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert

It’s hard to say enough about the benefits of walking for weight loss and general health, both physical and mental. It definitely belongs on your to-do list as often as possible. That’s why you’ll find an extensive collection of information on walking for people at every fitness level in SparkPeople's Walking Guide and Fitness Resource Center.

But many people will eventually reach the point where walking alone isn’t enough to help them achieve their personal fitness and weight loss goals. Here's how to determine if walking is no longer working for you, and what you can do about it.

Pay attention to your heart rate. To get the most benefit from your cardio exercise, you need to elevate your heart rate to a specific level, known as your target heart rate zone. This zone is a range between 60% and 85% of your maximum heart rate. This range will maximize your calorie burn and allow you to continue improving your endurance, conditioning and overall fitness level. As your fitness level improves, your walking workout will become easier. After a while, it can become extremely difficult to increase your walking intensity (speed) enough to keep your heart rate in that training zone for the length of your workout—even if you include hills or inclines.

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• BLAZINGSWORD "I love the Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" DVDs. I can do whatever pa..."
• QUARKY "I find the walking to be great cardio exercise. I walk four miles to work, ..."
• MISSYAGOGO "I've found that incorporating ankle weights into your walk is a great way t..."

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