Living by the beach is great. Walking on the sand is not only a stress reliever but good exercise. Almost every time I ask a new member what their current cardio program entails, they reply “I walk a few times a week”. Now understand that most people who join a gym and consult with a trainer are typically overweight. If walking a few times a week has not yet yielded results for that person, then there is only one answer. Here is my honest response: “You have been walking for how long now?” and answering for them, “since you were about two years old, correct?”.

The Human body adapts very well to repetition. In other words, walking for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week will not challenge you enough to burn the calories needed for weight loss. Don’t get me wrong however, because walking does have many benefits.

The bottom line is this: if you have limited spare time, exercise at a higher intensity. 40 minutes a day 6 times per week at 70%-80% of your max heart rate is a good initial goal. Try walking at a 10%-15% incline, or even jog/walk intervals. If time is not an issue, walk 75-90 minutes 6 times per week to obtain a similar level as above.

One important note: this is only one of three factors to becoming fit. The other two equally important factors are resistance (weight) training and of course, nutrition.