“Any type of exercise you like to do is good for keeping fit, and walking is a good way to do it,” says Pat Barnak, a personal trainer and fitness instructor at the Kitsap Family YMCA in Bremerton. “If you've never exercised and decide to do something, it's a great way to start.”

Your main goal at first is to get up, get out, and start moving; then stick to a routine. But to achieve the best results for fitness purposes, just strolling around the neighborhood is not enough: You have to challenge the body's cardiovascular system.

“Start out walking more slowly and as you go along, proceed to a walking pace that you would perceive somewhat hard to hard,” Barnak suggests. It may not be as easy to walk at that pace, but you need to do it for about 20-30 minutes to get the body going.

“It's not a good time to stop and sniff the roses or talk to the neighbors,” Barnak says.

Two very important parts of the walk, like with any exercise, are a warm-up and a cool-down. It may sound tedious or unnecessary if you're “just walking,” but those two parts of the exercise will help prevent injuries. The warm-up will get the muscles moving so the body doesn't get into shock once you start the intense walking, and the cool-down will do just the opposite, slow the systems down and help your heart race get back to normal.

Walking is a great option for seniors, people who have health issues precluding them from working out, or those starting out. If the goal is to maintain cardiovascular fitness, walking alone may be enough if done properly. But if you can mix it up with other things - like swimming, it will help keep it fresh for you and more attractive.

Plus, Barnak says, this way “you're getting into cross-training because you're using different muscles.”

If your ultimate goal is to lose weight, once you're doing well in your walking program you will need other forms of exercise because eventually the body will stop being challenged enough. “The body adopts and adjusts. The metabolism will settle at a certain point,” Barnak says.

To keep up the progress, you should change the intensity, the frequency, or the duration of the exercise.

Ideally, you should walk five times a week, which may be challenging for many people's schedule - you may need to prioritize. Whether you're walking at the mall, around the neighborhood or go out for hikes, it's a matter of preference and the idea is to find a place where you're comfortable and you enjoy. Safety, as with anything else, is important: Women should not go hiking alone on unknown trails, and should let a friend know where they are going. Even if you're walking around your area, you should change your route.

If you got yourself into a routine but don't feel it's producing results, don't be afraid to ask for help. “If you're not getting to your goals, consult with a personal trainer or someone in the fitness industry to find out how to fine-tune what you're doing,” Barnak says.