Fitness Walking for Dummies [Paperback]

Liz Neporent (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 1999

Call it power walking, fitness walking, or just plain walking. Indoors or out, walking is one of the healthiest and most rewarding forms of exercise available to all sorts of people, young and old. In fact, walking burns about the same number of calories per mile as running (and it's a lot easier on your knees). Walking is one of the most adaptable workout activities around – you can walk for an hour straight to make your walking program effective and to achieve your goals, or you can accumulate this hour over the course of a day.

Fitness Walking For Dummies is for anyone who wants to start an exercise program but may not have the knowledge or motivation to do it. If you're already a walking fanatic, you'll find out how to become a better fitness walker. This easy-to-understand guide is also for those who are on track to

• Lose weight
• Decrease blood pressure
• Control cholesterol
• Relieve stress
• Prevent heart disease
• Deal with depression

Explore what it takes to begin an exercise program by setting goals, choosing shoes, and considering nutrition to optimize your workout. Fitness Walking For Dummies also covers the following topics and more:

• Warm-up and cool-down routines
• Strength training
• The four levels of walking: Lifestyle, Fitness, High-Energy, Walk-Run
• Weight-training routines and stretches that add variety
• Buying and using a treadmill
• Age, pregnancy, and walking with your dog
• Dealing with pain and injuries

Like 67 million other people in the United States who log over 201 million miles a year, you want to take advantage of all of the great things a regular walking program can do for you. Whether your goal is to improve your health or your appearance, lose weight, get stronger, feel good about yourself, or all of the above, walking can help you get to where you want to go. This book can help you do that by showing you everything you need to know about starting and maintaining a walking program.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With the clever wit and good sense of Fitness for Dummies, exercise physiologist Liz Neporent covers everything you need to know to make walking a habit. You learn walking techniques, how to set up a program, a variety of walking routines, and tips for getting and staying motivated. Neporent breaks walking for fitness into four levels, with plenty of advice on who should do that level, proper form and technique, and routines:

• 1. Lifestyle walking (2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour)
• 2. Fitness walking (brisk: 3.5 to 4.3 miles per hour)
• 3. High-energy walking (intense: 4.4 to 6 miles per hour)
• 4. Walk-run (alternating running and walking intervals).

For those of us working on getting to level one, Neporent is gentle, explaining how to test endurance; set goals; choose the right clothing, shoes, socks, and sports bra; eat right; set up a routine; walk in different weather conditions; and stay safe. She also includes strength training exercises and stretches for walkers, tips for walking with a dog, common injuries, a treadmill guide, snazzy gadgets, and much more. This is a super book for the fitness walker, beginning or experienced, from an author who clearly is a walker herself. Highly recommended. --Joan Price

From the Back Cover

Praise for Fitness For Dummies^® by Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporent "Full of smart, jargon-free, common sense advice." — Shape. "A funny, irreverent, and very smart guide." — Cooking Light "Comprehensive, authoritative — and entertaining." — Men's Fitness

Features a walking journal to help track your progress

Set a steady pace toward health and fitness with this fun and easy guide Walking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to exercise, whether you're a senior, mom-to-be, or you're looking for a low-impact, low-cost alternative to jogging or the gym. This friendly guide explains stride by stride how to maximize the cardiovascular benefits of walking — and set up a personalized fitness walking program.

Discover how to: Develop a customized fitness walking routine Set up goals and track your progress Select the right shoes and accessories Stretch, warm up, and cool down Integrate advanced activities — hikes, walk-runs, and races Avoid common injuries

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See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (December 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764551922
• ISBN-13: 978-0764551925
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Walking

More About the Author

Follow me on Twitter: @lizzyfit

I am a truth-seeking journalist and career wellness professional who writes about health related topics. The majority of my books have been about fitness (makes sense I've been an avid runner since I was 13 years old!) In recent years I've been following another passion of mine, writing medical and science topics, like my latest book for Perseus and Harvard Medical School, The Winner's Brain (with the excellent authorsJeff Brown and Mark Fenske.) Want to read some more of my work? Check out my blog Fit or Fiction: www.thatsfit.com/bloggers/liz-neporent/ or more about my company, Wellness 360: www.w360.com. And please feel free to follow me on twitter @lizzyfit or friend me on face book. I always like to hear from readers!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fitness walking that really works., April 8, 2000

By 

M. E. Volmar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fitness Walking for Dummies (Paperback)

The book is very complete and very easy to understand with step by step instructions that don't clog you mind or are hard to remember. Walking is presented as a healthy habit that will ensure a new way of working out and staying in shape. The book sets you up with valuable information from choosing the right gear to avoiding injuries to getting fit. It's a great book for beginners because it motivates you to start and keep fit without making it a routine or monotonous experience, helping you move to higher levels or workouts, while keeping the habit of walking. It makes a great addition to have along with Nutrition for Dummies and Workouts for Dummies.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for Dummies!, February 26, 2001

By 

Susan Shams (West Des Moines, IA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fitness Walking for Dummies (Paperback)

Truly, dummies, need not apply. This book is for anyone interested in fitness in general. This book is filled with so much information, it is mind boggling.

I had no idea that buying this book would be such a great move on my part, I have gained so much needed insight on various health topics. From understanding your risk for heart disease, to finding the right pair of shoes, this book has it all.

The author Liz Neoporent, is really a Fitness expert. There are 20 chapters, each jam packed with useful information. I have determined my body mass index, as well as measured the strength of my middle and lower body. I have finally been able to buy the right sports bra, that does not make me 'wiggle and jiggle'. I have understood the 4 levels of walking plus their benefits, and found out the importance of strength training, how beneficial it really is. Plus, I have finally been able to find a pair of shoes that do not give me painful blisters (what a miracle).

This book is great, what I mentioned above, is just skimming the surface of all the useful information provided. This is NOT just a book about walking. This is a great resource for any fitness enthusiast. I recommend it to anyone wanting to better their bodies and themselves.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Guide to Walking!, April 10, 2003

By 

Tanisha L Jefferson (Oxon Hill, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fitness Walking for Dummies (Paperback)

I purchased this book back in 2000. I just picked it back up last week. After reading it, I began my Walking Program. The book is great, easy to read, and a good reference tool. Anyone who is interested in making walking a part of your fitness routine MUST get this book!