Health benefits of a daily walk

It has long been known that daily exercise that raises the heart rate can greatly improve your health and help you to maintain a healthy body weight. Well knowing that is easy, the hard part is finding the time in your busy schedule to exercise. One easy solution is to start taking a daily walk, this is cheaper then signing up for classes or joining the local gym and can be done in as little as 30 minutes a day. By walking for just 30 minutes a day you not only help your weight but also reduce stress, tone muscles, reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and age related macular degeneration, lower blood pressure, and strengthen your bones. So start getting up a little earlier in the morning and going for a walk around the block, drive to a local park on the weekends, or simply walk loops around the mall during your lunch break.  You will have to continue to increase the intensity of the walk to keep your heart rate going at an increased pace, so what may start as a leisurely walk around the clock will turn into an all out power walk! Walking is not a total body work out and will not leave you with perfectly toned abs, arms, and legs. There are things you can do during the walk to make for a total body workout, if you are walking in the park stop at a bench and do dips and push ups.  If you are walking around your block stop and do toe touches on the curb and do some old fashioned push ups right on the sidewalk. If you are walking in the mall simply tighten your ab and glute muscles during the walk. (shesgotgroove.com)