The American College of Sports Medicine suggested at a recent conference that walking is the most effective form of exercise because of its accessibility and simplicity.
From the article:
“There are certainly many forms of cardiovascular exercise that improve health and fitness, such as running, cycling, and swimming,” said Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., FACSM, one of the session leaders. “But from the perspective of finding a great exercise program for the most number of people, walking is the best bang for your buck.”
A good way to keep track of how much you walk, the article points out, is using a reasonably-priced pedometer. One of the greatest barriers to exercise is cost and convenience: maintaining a gym membership and making the time to go to the gym is expensive and can be inconvenient. Walking eliminates the cost problem, if not the issue of time.