How to Walk for Exercise in a Big City

Some lucky folks keep fit by taking daily walks in the country, perhaps along the perimeter of a lake or down a lazy river. But unless she joins the gym and climbs onto a treadmill, a city dweller has no choice but to brave the usual urban hazards—cars, noise, other pedestrians—on her exercise walks. If you’re the type who likes to stretch your legs for an hour or so, here’s how to make your urban walk safe and healthy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Plan your route carefully. Ideally, you’d like to take most of your walk on a pedestrian promenade where you won’t have to stop at traffic lights every block. If there isn’t a promenade near you, plan a route in advance that will entail a minimum of car traffic and a maximum of walking time—longer blocks are better than short. Don’t be a afraid to circle repeatedly around a long block if this will provide uninterrupted walking time.
2. Don’t choose a crowded time of day. Needless to say, walking during rush hour in the early mornings or late afternoons is a prescription for aggravation. Take your daily walk at a time when other pedestrian, bicycle and car traffic is at a minimum—late morning, right before lunch, or mid-afternoon, well after lunch but before evening rush hour gets underway. (If you walk while at work, eat a quick, late lunch and take a walk afterward.)
3. Build up your tolerance. If you haven’t walked for exercise before, start with a leisurely 15-minute walk, then slowly extend the duration over the next days and weeks until you’re in the 45-minute to one-hour range (this is when walking really counts as “exercise” rather than just “stretching your legs").
4. Don’t stop and chat. Pausing every 10 minutes during an exercise walk to talk with passersby or browse in store windows destroys most of the benefit of the walk, which is to get up your heart rate and work out your muscles. Once you’ve become used to 45-minute strolls, you’ll be surprised how even a brief delay can make for an unsatisfying experience.
5. Ignore the weather. Yes, a rainy day in a crowded city can be a honking, jostling, miserable affair—but if you put off your daily walk, you’ll feel much worse for it (after all, your legs have become used to getting stretched). Walk with an umbrella, if you must, or be prepared to climb over some snow banks—sticking with your accustomed routine will give you a great feeling of satisfaction when you finally make it back to your home or workplace, where it's warm and dry.