Here are a few quality control check points to be aware of during your walking workout:

Even stride length between your right leg and your left leg. Uneven stride length could signal dysfunction of how your body is moving, which may lead to injury.

Walking in a heel to toe pattern. Walking flat-footed increases risk of falling. Walking or shuffling feet also decreases the distance covered (decreases energy expenditure) of each step.

Proper spinal alignment. Avoid the forward shoulders hunched over and head forward posture by keeping your ears lined up over your shoulders. Keep your shoulders lined up over your hips, hold your chin parallel to the floor, and keep your feet pointing forward.

Here are exercises to gain additional benefits and effectiveness in your walking for fitness workout:

Focus on increasing the turn-over of your steps. Basically shorten your stride and step faster. Moving at a faster pace will increase energy expenditure and burn more calories.

Power from your arms. Move more muscles, burn more calories.

Pull your belly button in, and pull your shoulders down and back. Why not get a core workout and strengthen your posture muscles at the same time? The result is additional benefit out of the same effort.

Practice deep breathing while walking. Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of 4, exhale out your mouth for a count of 6. The result will be an increase in energy and decrease in stress.

Does walking offer health benefits? YES! Choose to move your body aerobically, on a regular basis. Find what you enjoy, and you’ll enjoy doing it.

Is Walking Worth It? By Nicole Bryan

Have a plan. The first thing to do to get motivated is to have a plan. Most people lose motivation because they think of a couple exercise routines or programs that they need to do but then they start to lose track of the next steps to take due to lack of planning.

Write it down. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and brainstorm. Write down all your fitness goals, aspirations and any little thing that triggers something within you.  Once you have finished this brainstorming, keep it in a safe place and refer back to it when you have run out things to do to keep moving forward.

Break down your goals. Create small, attainable goals that will help set you up for success. Instead of saying you want to lose 30lbs, start with 5lbs. That way when you have reached your 5lb weight loss you are able to celebrate your success. The more goals you achieve the more successes you will have.

Have a motivation back-up. We all have days where we have no motivation to do anything. When this happens, I have a go-to music playlist. I have all my positive songs that put me in a fantastic mood where I can do anything. It could also be a book, or one of your favorite quotes. Whatever it is, know that this is your go-to source for motivation.

Zachary Fiorido is your go to Fitness Guy. I am Personal Trainer and Film/TV Actor. I want to help you achieve your goals! Please don’t hesitate to message me through Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ZacharyJFiorido

Get Motivated! By Zachary Fiorido