Rather be a walker?

Here's a few tips that will make you an informed walking woman.

• Wear shoes with a flexible forefoot, a low beveled or rounded heel, and a flexible upper without extra straps.
  
• Replace your shoes every 300 to 500 miles and stretch your calves before you walk.
  
• Walk briskly. At 4.5 mph -- fast enough to break a sweat-- you'll burn about 500 calories an hour.
  
• Stand tall, with no extra arch in your back, and look forward, not down. Bend your arms and let them swing naturally.
  
• Head for the hills! Walking up a 10% grade burns about 50% more calories than walking on flat ground.

(Source: San Francisco Walking Tours -Walking Tips from Ryka)

Foot Facts...

	FACT: All shoes sizes are not standard. Depending on the style and manufacturer, your shoe size may vary. Try on several shoe sizes to see which fits better.
	FACT: Your shoe size can change over a lifetime. Don't assume that your size is carved in stone. Measure both feet before buying. If one foot is larger than the other, use the larger foot to determine your size.
	FACT: Applying pressure on your foot elongates it. This applies even to walking. Hence your shoe size should be slightly larger than your foot size. As a rule of thumb, buy a size that's about 3/8" - 1/2" longer than the longest toe.
	FACT: Foot shape and size varies during the day. Different activities and weather conditions affect the size and shape of your feet. Feet generally get larger after an activity, so buy shoes accordingly.
	FACT: Feet come in all shapes and sizes. Your shoe should fit your foot, without being too snug or loose. Shop at stores that offer a variety of widths and sizes, and properly trained staff who can help you get the right fit. (Source: New Balance advertisement, Toronto Star newspaper, Canada)

Women's words on exercise...

Something that I know for sure -- there's no such thing as excess eating, only inadequate activity.
(Dorothy Harris, Women and Sport, 1979)

It takes six months to get into shape and two weeks to get out of shape. Once you know this you can stop being angry about other things in life and only be angry about this.
(Rita Rudner, Naked Beneath My Clothes, 1992)

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty -- she's ninety-seven today and we don't know where the heck she is.
(Ellen DeGeres, Mirabella, 1992)

Getting fit is a political act -- you're taking charge of your life.
(Jane Fonda, Jane Fonda, 1982)