It may sound too good to be true, but losing weight doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the simplest ways to lose weight is by just walking, something you already do each and every day. Anyone can do it, almost anywhere, and at any time. Just get up and start putting one foot in front of the other, and you are well on your way to achieving your weight-loss goals.

Whether you're taking the first run of your life, returning to the sport after a long layoff, or coming back from an injury, a great way to get into running and quickly build your mileage is to start with a combination run/walk. The idea is fairly simple: After you put on yourrunning clothes, shoes, hat, watch, sunscreen, or whatever else you may need, head out the door and do the following: 1.

The term gait is defined as a person’s manner of walking. An abnormal gait, which can occur due to disease such as arthritis or even from previous injuries such as fractures, can impact your overall ability to walk as well as increase your risk of future injury. To see how important a correct gait is, give this activity a try: Stand barefoot with your feet a bit wider than hip width apart and roll your feet inward slightly so that you’re only using your big toe.

Although you can't predict how you'll feel after your first marathon, you can plan a few activities that can help you to heal and, perhaps, look forward to your next one. Chances are, right after your marathon, you'll feel like doing any or all the following: CryingDrinking anything, from a noncarbonated sports drink to beerEating anything you can get your hands onLaughingLying down and taking a napNever running againThrowing upWrapping your feet in soft cottonImmediately following a marathon, you can see plenty of runners who take a seat and then eat and drink.

Running posture is similar to the posture that your mother nagged you about when you were growing up: It's how you hold your back, shoulders, and neck. What position is your back in when you run? To find out, have a friend take a video of you (straight on and from the side). If that's not possible, ask someone to take a picture of you, from the side, as you run by.

After your walking workouts begin showing results and you start losing weight, you'll find yourself motivated to try to do more, and that's great. You can safely increase the intensity of your workouts with just a few simple adjustments. Increase your daily steps A calorie burned is a calorie burned, no matter how you do it.

Setting aside time each day to take a walk is a great start to losing weight and improving your health. But research has found individuals who set aside time to actually workout may end up being less active at the end of the day than their peers who lead an active lifestyle but don’t schedule in structured workouts.

Whether you have already started walking for weight loss or are just considering getting started, you want to make sure that you stretch on a regular basis. Although it may seem as somewhat of an afterthought, stretching is vital to your success as a walker working to lose weight and improve health. Taking the time to stretch can help to protect against injury, enhance circulation, lower stress levels, increase flexibility and balance, and even increase your energy level.

The more physically active you are, the more calories you burn each day. And the more calories you burn, the quicker and easier it is to lose weight and keep it off. Whether you increase your physical activity by increasing the amount of steps you take each day or you follow a structured walking program, there are ways you can adjust your walking strategies to increase your overall calorie burn.