Walking briskly is an excellent workout, especially when you’re first starting out with an exercise routine. Of course, one of the things that makes it so popular is that as long as you have a pair of walking shoes, you can do it just about anywhere.
Some places, though, according to Prevention magazine, are better than others. They’ve ranked the top 100 U.S. cities to get a “heart-pumping walking workout,” based on criteria like street safety, weather, air quality, beautiful places to walk, access to parks, and number of athletic shoes sold. So consider yourself lucky if you live in one of these top five walker-friendly cities:
Madison, WI
Austin, TX
San Francisco, CA
Charlotte, NC
Seattle, WA
No matter where you live, though, getting outside for some exercise, especially as spring nears, is a key to keeping happy and healthy. Plus, in the summertime you can skip the gym and instead use the outdoors to get your workout -- and some healthy sun exposure all at the same time.
USA Today March 8, 2007
Prevention.com March 2007