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hildren do a lot of walking and running, which are activities that are good for their physical growth and development and will help them grow into healthy adults.

As a matter of fact, walking and running are also good for grownups. They are by far the easiest exercises and can be incorporated into any daily routine. Basically you can run or walk anywhere.

Walking is low impact exercise while running is high impact. Both are good, but running of course burns more calories. Anyone who wants to lose weight fast might want to run instead of walk. Brisk walking is better than walking slowly. But even walking slowly is better than doing nothing.

The best thing to do is regular exercise. Do it every morning while breathing in fresh air.

"I am too busy to exercise," is the most common reason we hear for not exercising, or maybe it is just an excuse to stay away from exercise. We leave for work early in the morning and return home after the sun goes down.

Walking is indeed a good introduction to exercise for those who have been sedentary through most of their lives. It is simple and does not require any advanced training. Anyone can do it.

If you really want to start exercising, you might want to try this. Park your car at the edge of the parking lot, the farther away the better. This will allow you to walk for a few minutes in the morning to your office. In the evening you will also have to walk a few more minutes to get to your car.

Do the same when going to a mall, especially if you go there to have a big dinner. Walking around the parking lot might ease your guilt about eating a big meal or not-so-healthy mouthwatering cuisine.

If you take public transportation, get off a stop before your destination and walk the extra distance.

Stop taking the elevator and start going up or down the stairs whenever possible.

An important walking technique is to maintain good posture. This means standing up straight. You should not arch your back, lean forward or lean back. Look forward, do not look down, and keep your chin up, parallel to the ground. Let your shoulders fall and relax, and suck in your stomach. Experts also suggest that you tuck in your behind and rotate your hips forward slightly to keep you from arching your back.

It is good to keep your arms swinging back and forth at your sides in step with you. Do not clench your fists, but keep your hands loose to allow blood to flow freely through your body,

Make walking a habit and see the difference after several weeks. You will feel healthier and you might also lose weight.

From walking slowly, you can improve your exercise routine by walking faster and faster. And you can also add to the time spent on exercise. Experts recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity at least four days a week.

This can reduce risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and other maladies. It is also believed that walkers live longer and lead a more active and healthier life in their old age compared to their "couch potato" friends.

If you want to run, you can begin by running for short intervals during your walk. You can start running just for a minute and then walk again. Gradually, you can run for a greater distance.

For those who have run for sometime and want to increase the time and distance, several techniques can be applied. One of them is changing your route so that you will not get bored. Seeing new things is fun and this will help you with your exercise.

Experts also suggest that those who usually run on a treadmill take it outdoors at least once a week, in which case you could try running with one or more friends to add more fun.

Before running, make sure you stretch your legs properly. Stretching is really important in any workout, before and after. It helps prevent injury during exercise and helps the body wind down after a workout.

Stretching can help increase flexibility and reduce some of the physical effects of stress, according to experts.

Like walking, running has tremendous benefits, from reducing the likelihood of catching various diseases to helping you to stay in shape and to reach an ideal body weight.

Studies show that a person can burn an average of 100 calories per mile he or she runs. In term of calories, this is better than other exercises, such as biking or walking, which burn only a fraction of the calories over the same amount of time.

As a high impact exercise with repetitive pounding, running can cause inflammation of the joints, including ankles, knees and hips. However, it is the impact of running that reduces the likelihood of bone loss later in life.

Walking and running are exercises that do not cost a lot of money. You do not need special equipment like you do for tennis and golf and many other sports. What you need is comfortable clothes and shoes.

A wide selection of sports shoes is available on the market. There are shoes that are designed for running while others are designed for walking.

Easytone is an innovative technology introduced by Reebok that allows the female consumer to literally "take the gym" with her in her daily activities - from work to school to shopping to walking.