Walking - Getting Started On a Favorite Exercise

Americans take the fewest number of steps each day compared to other developed countries, but at last the health benefits of walking are being publicized -- getting more people excited about walking.

We can walk indoors, outdoors, alone or with friends. Walking is safe. Its injury rates are very low. So if you've decided to join the thousands of other Americans who've incorporated walking into their daily routine, here are some sound, smart, fun ways to get started.

• Warm up. Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. Walk in place, then increase your pace.

• Stretch. After your warm-up, stretch your muscles before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch and side stretch.

Six-Pack Abs Diet Tips!

If your fitness goal is to get the tight and toned stomach of your dreams, then some six-pack abs, diet tips will help you in your endeavor! While it will take some hard work and discipline, knowing what to eat (and what not to) will help you achieve your goal faster than you thought possible. Let's look at a list of the best diet tips below to get you started on your way.

Diet Tip #1: Drink lots of water.

Overeating can spell disaster if you are trying to get into the best shape of your life. As most excess weight tends to settle in the abdominal area, to get a well-defined six pack, you need to have a very low amount of extra fat on your body. The good news is, there is an easy way to keep from filling up on junk throughout the day - drink plenty of water! There is an old adage that you need five glasses of water per day to survive, eight glasses to thrive and 10 to rehydrate.

While this is a good general rule of thumb, a more scientific approach can give you even better results. Take your body weight in pounds and drink half of that number in ounces each day. Sound complicated? Well, it's not! For example, if you weigh 200 lbs, then be sure to drink 100 ounces of water each day. As you can see, you may be drinking more than 10 glasses per day, but you will see the difference in your six pack definition by doing so.

How to Be Fat, Average and Bored: 6 Steps to Fit in and Protect Yourself From Strange Food

1. Drink Soda.

Lots of it. It's refreshing, it's sweet and it complements any food. Don't just save it for meals. Soda tastes great sipped throughout the day. Ask your peers where to find the biggest refill cup and keep it next to you at your desk while you fill out TPS reports.

2. Avoid walking (and definitely avoid stairs).

Man didn't pave roads and clear-cut for freeways so that you'd have to travel by foot. No matter how short the trip, it's shorter in a car. Your car has air conditioning, a radio and your neighbor envies it. If you add elevators to the mix, you can avoid exertion all together. You'll arrive at your cubicle refreshed and looking sharp.

3. Diet constantly

The more absurd the better. This way you are sure to relapse into a bout of gluttony and binging. Choose deprivation diets, like no-carb, no-fat, or no flavor. These deliver dramatic results fast and make great conversation topics at work. If you are suffering, it is a sure sign that you are succeeding, and who doesn't respect a martyr?