Fit Factor: Put one foot in front of the other

We are an easily bored species, one that needs almost constant change in some way, shape or form to keep our complex minds stimulated and interested. This is likely the reason why so many people prefer elaborate workouts to something as simple as placing one foot in front of the other for an extended period of time. To help remedy this situation, you may want to try some of the following tips to keep your walking routine from becoming, well, less routine:

Get Bookish. One of the best ways to pump-up a workout is to listen to music. Pop those earbuds into your ears and rock out to your guiltiest of pleasures. You may also find that listening to a book on tape is equally as stimulating. Some of your favorite titles are available for download through iTunes and Amazon.com.

Interval Training. Walking is a low-intensity cardio workout, but it doesn't always have to be. To burn extra calories, and to mix things up a bit over the course of your stroll, try picking up the pace for a minute or so every now and again. Doing so can help you burn an extra 100 calories or so over the course of a 30-minute workout.

Set VERY Short Term Goals. Long-term goals (i.e. feel healthier, maintain healthy blood sugars, lose weight, etc.) are very important to have. Still, a great way to keep you motivated through your daily walk is to have an almost immediate goal in sight. By this I mean having a goal, or even a reward, waiting for you at the end of your walk. It could be a landmark (such as a view from the top of a hill, or your arrival to a friend's house), but could also be something such as a tasty and healthy snack waiting for you.

Spend Some Quality Time with the Fam. A great solution to the family time deficit is to use that daily walk as a time to catch up with those closest to you. Because you're only walking, you'll have plenty of wind left to have discussions about school, work, and any other topic that would before be part of typical dinner table discussion. Plus, with childhood obesity rates on the rise (as well as the increasing number of children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes), bringing the kids along may benefit them, as well.

Get Creative. This could mean anything from taking a different route each day, to holding a set of very light dumbbells in your hands while you walk. Not only will changes of this kind prevent you from becoming bored, they will also ensure that your fitness results do not plateau over time.