As the weather cools down, I have added walking to my weekly routine. To keep it interesting, I found some great advice from the Berkeley Wellness Letter: www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit04Walking.html
How do you vary your walking routine?
A few things I've done, and the website also suggests, is to walk backward and vary my walking pace. When runners add a short sprint into their running routine, it is called a fartlek, and walkers can add a similar technique into their workout. I don't usually wear a watch when I walk, so I make up "games" for myself, such as, "I am going to walk as briskly as possible to the end of the street", and you can add these mini "walking sprints" four times in one walking session for good results.
For comparison of slow vs. brisk, "slow walking" (or "strolling", more of what I do when my toddler is in tow) is about 2 miles/hour. Brisk walking, on the other hand, can be upwards of 4 miles/hour.
I also walk backward (on sidewalks I am very familiar with), which helps to work different muscles. It's fun and does not feel like "exercise" (probably because it feels silly!), but this variation is best tried with a friend who is walking forward for safety.
And, if you need some motivation to get walking, here is a great article from Runner's World
Eight Reasons To Walk:
According to Runner's World, "A study done at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that walking four times a week for 45 minutes each time, resulted in an average weight loss of 17 lbs. a year without any form of dietary changes!"
Tell us about your walking routine, I would love to hear new ideas!