DAILY WALKS CAN ADD YEARS TO LIFE

Personal trainer JESSICA SMITH recommends focusing on five things to improve your fitness.

SPEED

Try varying your pace to add intensity without sapping energy: walk at a brisk pace for three minutes, then power walk for one minute. Then repeat.

POSTURE

Good posture not only helps prevent aches and pains but it can also help you burn more calories by engaging more muscles. Keep your shoulders back, chest wide and abs pulled in.

FEET

Activating your shins more during your walk can help strengthen them and may help to prevent trips and falls. Focus on flexing your foot with each step, then pushing off the ball of the foot to power forward.

BREATHING

Take deep belly breaths (rather than the shallow, quick breaths in the chest you may be used to taking). This will help provide your muscles with the oxygen your body needs, which will make walking at pace easier.

MOTIVATION

Walk with a friend or move to music, whatever helps you give your all during your walk time. Try alternating walks with an indoor workout using a DVD. You may find it helps you stick to a regular exercise plan.

The full version of this article appears in the July edition of Healthy Food Guide, on sale now. For more health advice and recipes visit healthyfood.co.uk