Walk this way: Tips on the perfect technique

Walking, once the less exciting counterpart to the calorie-burning machine that is running, has really been getting its due lately. Just like jogging or running, it's cheap (once you've bought your shoes, the rest is free) and can be done anywhere including in the gym on a treadmill, in the mall during terrible weather or in the great outdoors. But it boasts the added benefit of not being too hard on your joints. And while it may not burn as many calories as running, it's still a good tool for weight loss. In fact, Bethany Sanders recently posted on the new show Fat March, where a group of obese adults drop pounds by walking across America.

If you're new to the walking scene and need a few tips, Martha Edwards wrote recently on some important Dos and Donts, and you can also look here for even more tips. They include standing up straight because good posture helps prevent back, shoulder and neck strain, taking shorter, faster steps rather than long strides to keep tired muscles and shin pain at bay and making sure to keep the pace, as a slow stroll chatting with buddies isn't going to do much good.

For more information on the tips mentioned as well as additional pointers, take a look here.