If you work out in the morning, your body’s blood sugar levels are typically pretty low. Before starting your walk, have a banana or a granola bar to keep your blood sugar level up. Go ahead and try some foods to see what makes you feel the best; I personally like bananas or apples.

As far as taking in food during exercise, there are many products that the elites use that we have found work well and are quickly digested by the body. Products such as flavored gels and nutritional bars are proven workout supplements. In general, you will want to look for something that your stomach can handle, is quickly digested by the body, and is easy to manage while on the go.

How long should you wait before going for a walk? Well, it all depends on your level of exercise. If you are going to do a tough walking workout, you may want to wait at least an hour for your food to digest completely; however, if all you ate was half a banana, then that wait time could be reduced to 15 minutes or so. If you are only going for a stroll, you may not have to wait more than 15 minutes even if you had a big meal. It really just depends on the exercise and the size of your meal.

First and foremost, stand up straight. You may think that this is trivial, but that’s because it is. Straight doesn’t mean that you pull your shoulders back and try to look tall by arching your back.

Straight means that you should be thinking about being tall. While you are thinking about that, take some time to center yourself. Don’t lean too far back or forward; that will just cause unnecessary stress and strain on your body. Take your head and keep your chin parallel to the floor. It’s okay to look around, but look out at least 20 ft in front of you for the majority of the time, and try to avoid looking down. Now take a breath, relax, shrug your shoulders and let them fall slightly back. For the final step, “suck” in your gut. Hold yourself and engage those abs.

Once you have your core all set, you will want to start thinking about your arms. Your elbow should be bent 90 degrees and close to your body, your hands should be loose in a semi-closed curl, and your arms should move opposite hand to foot (and should never cross your body). Once you have your body in line, then it is time to think about the actual steps. You should be rolling in your step from your heels to your toes. Make sure that you are wearing the right type of shoe! You should then determine the size of your stride and try to keep this constant throughout your walk (unless you want to push yourself a little bit further).

Stop yourself every so often when you walk and correct yourself. Check and see what you are doing and how your posture is. Yes, it may be a lot to think about, but if you just focus on one thing at a time, you will get there eventually. With practice it will all become more natural to you, and you won’t even have to actively think about standing up straight or keeping your head level.

Studies have shown that high heels can create a firmer butt and work out your calves. You probably already knew the calves portion of that fact. Livestrong.com even has a workout that is based on wearing high heels. It was developed by Rosalind Neilin, a Florida trainer. The workout focuses on the different types of walking in heels in order to gain the maximum benefit from being stuck with them. Participants walk at different tempos depending on the type of music being performed. Neilin also incorporates balancing acts, such as balancing glassware. This is done in order to perfect “the walk.”

In general, if you walk in heels, you will be working out your calves and your butt; however, the trade off may be that your feet may hurt a lot. There are a few things that you can do in order to prevent injuries while walking in heels. One exercise is the calf stretch. Wearing heels tightens your calf, and this shortens the calf muscles. By stretching, you can lengthen the calf. Another good idea to protect your foot is to trace the letters of the alphabet in the air. This will strengthen the foot and make sure that your ankle does not get hurt.

Walking in heels has its benefits, but in the long run they may to be very good for your feet. The key is moderation so that your heel-bound foot is not in too bad of shape.

One would think that as the year went by that I would get used to them, but I can’t really say that this is true. I’m kind  of getting bored of them (to be honest), and I find myself pressing the elevator button more as I walk by to see if the elevator doors will immediately open. If they open, which rarely happens, I “reward” myself with a break from the stairs.

There is a reason why walking up stairs is so much different than walking on a flat surface. The simple answer is “evolution.” We were made to stand up. By walking, we can move with momentum, and we make sure that our weight is taken care of in such a way that makes it easy for us to walk and move; however, when you are walking up a set of stairs, momentum is not going to be able to help you out. Stairs force you to lift your whole body up and the more you weigh, the harder this action gets. Thigh and butt muscles are what you need in order to master a set of stairs. True, your pure muscular strength can get most of the job done, but in order to get up those four flights of stairs without feeling a little out of breath, you will have to get stronger.

Getting to the point where stairs are a breeze will take some time to master. You will need two things: strong muscles and good cardiovascular system. Get some runs in and tackle the stairs whenever you can. It’s more efficient to take the elevator when you are going to a location that is higher than three floors away, but it certainly doesn’t  help your fitness or health!

You have to be smart when you are walking outside, and you have to make sure that you take a few extra precautions to reduce any changes of becoming a victim.

The number one tip is to be alert. You need to be aware of everything in your environment. Make sure that you keep the volume on your headphones low enough, so that you can hear what’s going on. You want to see what is going on as well, so always walk facing traffic.

People should know where you are walking, or they should at least know when you left, and when you are planning on coming back. An even better solution would be to have a walking group. Walking with a friend will help pass the time, and you will be less likely to get bored.

Do not present yourself as a moving target. Don’t carry any valuables on you, or chat on your cellphone while you walk. Another tip would be to hide your iPod. Also, try to limit the amount of jewelry that you wear while you walk.

You should always carry identification on you as well, even if it’s just a rubber band that you have written your name on and attached to your sneakers. If it ever gets to the point where you do not feel safe, don’t be afraid to make noises with a noisemaker, whistle, or a personal alarm.

That “burn” you sense may not be that “good workout” feel. In fact, you are probably just straining your ligaments and tendons. By doing this, you may eventually have joint problems. Another common side effect is high blood pressure. Many people attribute the multi-tasking while exercising to the 1980′s, when people used to flail their arms around in dance class. It turns out we really should not be copying them when it comes to weights and walking.

Most of the time, walking with weights is only going to hurt your joints. If you really want to add weight, try putting a vest on. This is a much safer approach. While you may think that the vest is too easy, it is a much safer option than carrying them around in your hands.

Another note about safety is that if you are holding dumbbells, you are making it harder on yourself than it needs to be if an emergency situation presented itself – even tripping over a sidewalk. You will be able to protect yourself better if you have your hands free.

The risks outweigh the benefits when it comes to exercising with weights while walking. It is important to engage in strength training, but you will get a lot more out of a weight lifting session separate from the walk. Also, by doing this, you can improve your own walk. Instead using weights, improve your walk in other ways. For example, you could increase the speed of your walk, or add some hills in your walk! Even better, add a “wog” (a combination between a walk and a jog), or even a normal jog.

Trust me, without those dumbbells, your walk is going to be much more effective.

When on crutches, it is important to know how to use them. If you know how to use crutches correctly, then I am sure you know what I mean when I say that so many people use them incorrectly. Using them incorrectly is only going to hurt you or lead to inefficient practices. Plus, you will probably be hurting your arms in all of the wrong places.

The way you use them depends on your condition. Do you have some weakness in both of your legs? If this is the case, it will help you to always have three “legs” on the ground, and to walk with a left crutch, right foot, right crutch, and left foot pattern. This allows there to always be three points of contact with the floor.

If you only have weakness in one leg, then it will be smarter to stay off that leg. Using crutches in this state requires you to move both of the crutches, and then to move the weaker leg forward. Next, put all of your weight on your crutches, being careful not to hurt your upper body, and then move the other leg.

If you are looking for something a little bit faster, then you are going to be doing some swinging. To move along the quickest, all you have to do is put all of your weight on the crutches, and then swing your legs forward. Repeat. This is typically used with people who cannot use their legs at all, but if you are trying to get somewhere, this is always an option; however, I am not quite sure if you will be exercising anything other than your torso and arms with crutches.

Walking on crutches can be a pain, but it is important to try to get some movement into your daily life – even if you are gimping.

Ladies and gentlemen. I have an annoucement to make. You are not the Wicked Witch of the West; you are not going to melt if rain falls on your head. In fact, your body is often more drip-dry than an umbrella.

Rain should not keep you from walking if you are prepared. True, walking becomes a little more expensive when it’s raining out because of the equipment, but overall, you’ll thank yourself for staying in condition even though it is raining.

If you don’t want to purchase the waterproof pants and jacket just yet, an umbrella is actually going to do a great job at keeping you dry. If you are walking with others, make sure that everyone has their own source of protection or that nobody has it. Sharing umbrellas is difficult, and it will slow down your walking pace. Also, I would advise investing in an umbrella that isn’t going to flip inside out on the first sign of wind. Overall, umbrellas aren’t a great first line of defense against rain; however, dog attacks on the other hand…

Walking in wet shoes is never fun, nor is it good for your feet. Blisters can form easily, and you can end up sloshing around in your shoes. Gore-tex lined boots and shoes are available in most brands of boots. They will cost you a little bit extra, around $30 more, but they will last years, and they will get you through those stormy conditions while keeping you dry.

There are some other options out there, too. One would be to use a spray or some sort of sealer/treater to waterproof your shoes. From my experience, this has worked reasonably well, but it is not a 100% waterproof solution. You can also buy overshoes and put that waterproof layer over your normal walking shoes. This option, however, is not ideal if you are actually planning on walking at a good tempo. Cheaper than buying an overshoe, another idea is to use household items like plastic bags and duct tape that over your shoes.

As for your clothing, look into waterproof socks, jackets, pants, gloves, and hats. Cotton is no good, as you really want a water wicking material.

So, the next time it rains, I don’t want to hear that that’s your excuse for not going out on a walk!

Prevalent in many of the problems associated with pain and exercising is your choice of shoe. One day of walking on shoes not designed for a full day of walking on whatever terrain you are on, can ruin your feet and prevent you from going 100% on the rest of your vacation days. Don’t think that you can walk a whole day in the mountains on flip flops and feel no after-effects. If you don’t have the right pair of shoes with you or you refuse to put on walking shoes because sandals match your outfit better, it might be wiser to pick up a new souvenir and get yourself a new pair of shoes. Not being able to walk comfortably is one of the worst excuses for not seeing everything that you wanted to see on your trip.

If you’re lucky and you can take public transportation all over the place, like in Budapest or in Paris, then you might want to balance walking with public transportation. Give yourself a break from time to time. Sit down and relax. Don’t stress your legs and feet out to the point where you’re too sore to stand up the next morning.

There are a lot of precautions you can take to prevent soreness. One would be to wear blister bandages and good socks. Another would be to stretch throughout the day or at least once before you go to bed. Along with stretching, give yourself a foot massage and get rid of any “crinkles” in your feet. A hot shower will help loosen up your muscles as well. Even elevating your feet could keep any swelling to a minimum and leave your feet refreshed for the next day.

When I was in Budapest, my aunts and I immediately tackled the hike up to the Citadel—completely unprepared and spontaneously. I was feeling that hike for the next few days. If the damage has already been done and you’re hurting (and can’t buy new shoes), your best option is to stretch, drink water, massage, and rest. You can also try taking some pain medication.

Luckily, most of the people I have traveled with are also up for racing around and seeing as much as there is to see. I guess that’s what happens when you only give yourself four days to cover Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Paris.

When I do walk with others who are in constant need of a break, the most common complaints that I hear is “my feet are numb” or “my feet hurt.” The first thing I always do is look at their shoes. Nine times out ten I can say, “Well go figure! You need different shoes!” The problem is there typically isn’t a shoe store around the corner, and they typically don’t want to spend the money on a new pair of walking shoes.

My next step in trying to put them, and myself, out of misery, is to take a look at their shoe laces. Do they even have shoelaces? Surprisingly, the answer to this is typically no. Are they too tight? How are they laced? This website offers some great tips on how to tie your shoe laces so that your shoes fit better.

If your shoes don’t fit your feet properly, you probably won’t have good circulation. Poor circulation is the number one cause of numb feet; it’s pretty simple – if your feet don’t get blood, you’ll lose feeling. Your feet swell while on long walks, sometimes even up to a whole size larger. Keep that in mind when you buy your walking shoes. Speaking of long walks, perhaps your feet are just not used to doing so much walking, and that’s why they hurt. Practice! A simple solution is to strengthen your feet, and get them used to doing so much walking.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to take breaks once in a while and truly take-in your surroundings, but if the breaks are spent complaining about how much pain you are in, they start to be less inviting.