DON’T DREAD THE TREAD!

I fell in love with walking when I launched WalkFit, a national walking campaign for a Reebok walking shoe. One lasting benefit of the project was that I learned how to turn a walk into a workout. Window shopping, walking the dog or ambling through the neighborhood are all great ways to get in your steps. However, if you really want to trigger fat-burning there are some tried and true ways to boost your walking to the next level. Read on.

Walking in winter? But, baby, it’s cold outside!

Winter is the ideal time to take your walking workout to the next level. Indoors. Yes, the treadmill can be your best winter walking partner for fat-burning. Bundling up against the elements can zap enthusiasm from even the most determined walker–walking in cold, dark, wet, snowy, icy or all these conditions combined can put a damper on your best intentions to head out the door. Not a problem with the treadmill. Advocated by professional runners for winter workouts and prescribed by doctors for women seeking to lose or maintain ideal weight over the colder months, the treadmill is one of our best foul-weather exercise friends. It’s accessible, versatile, reliable rain or shine, and offers you a range of workouts from a walk in the park to intervals designed to leave you feeling like you busted your butt.

If you want to optimize your treadmill time and say bye-bye to the DREAD-mill, check out these 5 tips! Whether in a gym or in the comfort of home, take advantage of a treadmill to walk your way through cold weather.\

5 METHODS TO TURN YOUR WALK INTO A WORKOUT!

Posture –
Stand tall; imagine a string coming from the top of your head pulling you up. Then tilt your body forward slightly from the ankles, not the hips or waist. Don’t arch your lower back or stick your butt out. Keep your spine in a neutral position by contracting your abdominals.

Head Position –
Don’t tilt your head from side to side, and don’t drop your chin forward. Your eyes should focus straight ahead and not on your feet, so you don’t strain your neck.

Shoulders –
Your shoulders should be down and back; open your chest for easier, deeper breathing. As you walk, check your shoulders regularly. Are you slouching? Are your shoulders creeping up toward your ears?

Arms –
Let your arms swing freely, but with purpose. This improves balance, increases circulation, and burns more calories. Swing your arms forward, not across your body. Imagine your body on a clock face, viewed from the side, with your head at twelve o’clock. Your arms should swing from seven o’clock (just behind your hips) to four o’clock (about belly button height).

Feet –
Strike the ground with your heel and let your foot roll forward naturally. At the end of your stride, really push off with your toes, to propel your body forward. Use a stride length that’s comfortable for you. Don’t overstride.
To modify your technique when walking at greater speeds:
Since your arms and legs work in unison, your legs can’t speed up until your arms do. To get your arms pumping more quickly, start by putting a 90-degree bend in your elbows, holding your hands in a loose fist. Swing forward, not side to side, keeping your elbows close to your sides.

Use the same rolling heel-toe motion as at lower speeds, but concentrate on actively pulling up your toes as your legs swing forward. At faster paces, if you don’t pull up your toes, you’ll start catching them on the ground.