Walking in Groups

June 18, 2009

Many activities are more fun—and effective—if you do them with others. Same goes for losing weight. It seems like a solitary activity, dieting with exercise, but fitness as a group may actually help you decrease your body fat.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness (published by Mens Health), researchers in the Netherlands recruited a small group of obese adults and asked half to increase their physical activity at their convenience, while the other half were enrolled in a twice-weekly, two-hour exercise class. After four months, those that participated in group exercise lost 17.6 lbs while those that lost weight on their own shed just 6.2 lbs.

If walking alone isn’t your cup of tea and you don’t find solitary enjoyment, find a walking club or invite a friend to walk with you. Walking is also a very social activity and walking clubs can be found in just about any community around the globe. Walking is also versatile, if you get bored walking the same route day after day, look for a walking trail in your area. And remember to wear your arch supports that will definitely help you walk the extra mile without foot pain!