Skip the gym and start walking to boost your health

It’s vital to put your best foot forward, says Lisa Salmon

IF you’re dreading hitting the gym after Christmas to shed those excess pounds, you may want to swap your gym membership for some good walking shoes.

New research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) found that people over 50, and women of all ages, who regularly walked briskly for more than 30 minutes at a time, had a lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waists than those who say they favour other forms of exercise, including gym workouts, cycling and swimming. (Men aged under 50 had similar waist sizes whether they walked or went to the gym.)