Here is a riddle: what is free, fun, easy, healthy, mood boosting, low-tech, and muscle building? Hmm, can't be chocolate because it was 85 cents at the store, it's not air because that's not necessarily fun, and it's definitely not the food samples you can eat at Costco because that's got to be far from healthy. Are you scratching your head yet? The answer is actually simpler than you think. It's actually as easy as... walking!

Many people think exercise needs to involve tiny spandex shorts and dizzyingly fast music, hours spent on the treadmill, or beastly grunts and heavy dumbbells. Walking, in a sense, is the underdog of exercises. It offers numerous health benefits, yet it is often mistakenly overlooked for is simplicity. Don't be fooled though; walking can be an advantageous addition to, or starting point, for your health and fitness regimen. And beastly grunts are only optional.

Underdog No More

It's easy to take walking for granted, but walking can provide plentiful positive benefits to your overall health. The process of placing your left foot in front of your right foot, and then your right foot in front of your left foot, can help you...

• Feel more energized
• Increase muscle strength
• Stay focused
• Bust out of your blue mood
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Improve your circulation
• Rev up your metabolism (burn, fat, BURN!)
• Reduce your risk of hypertension
• Relax

... and much more. Studies have shown that walking at a moderate pace for 30 to 60 minutes can burn stored fat in your body, and build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking also releases your natural "feel good" chemicals called endorphins, which can alleviate a bout of depression, and leave you in a happier mood.

The best part about walking is that it's free, it's accessible, you don't need any fancy equipment or pricy health club memberships, and it's easy to fit into your busy daily schedule.

Community Building

With work, family, and friends, it's easy to push workouts to the backburner. Even something so simple like walking becomes one more thing to accomplish on a never ending "to-do" list. Understanding that many Santa Barbarians have hectic, busy, and often chaotic schedules leaving them with little time for exercise, the dedicated trainers at Conditioning Specialists have come together to form a Walking Group for community members looking make fitness a part of their daily lives. This Conditioning Specialists Walking Group , which meets at noon Mondays through Thursday, and at 5:30 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays, is the perfect opportunity for members to walk away both pounds and stress, while socializing and meeting new friends, and receiving personalized fitness and nutrition advice from the elite trainers at Conditioning Specialists. Members can attend as little or as many sessions as they like.

Trainer Jesse Brisendine, who leads many of the 50-minute Walking Groups, explains that "exercise, no matter what shape or form, can be very communal building. People who exercise together often form bonds and friendships." Meeting a new walking buddy, or networking with community members are not the only rewards of joining a group. Participation in a group gives you accountability, making it hard to make those 101 excuses to not to exercise. "We are much more likely to break appointments with ourselves than we are to from other people, especially from a group," says Jesse, particularly since walking is "a great way to unwind after day... and I can be pretty funny!" Now it's probably hard to find more than 5 excuses not to exercise.

Trainer Ashley Haug agrees that being accountable to a group, and "having a set day and time for exercise will help you stay consistent with your routine, even through tough times such as the upcoming holidays when you may be lacking motivation."

With many festivities involving gastronomical feasts coming up, "having a routine where you can not only burn calories, but increase your cardiovascular conditioning and increase your fitness level will make you feel invigorated and energized," explains trainer Melanie Elkin. And with 6 weekly walks, you can easily fit in time for fun and exercise.

Lace Up Those Sneakers

As with any exercise, the best way to reap the benefits is to actually do it. It's time to grab those sneakers and hit the pavement. The Walking Groups, conveniently located in downtown Santa Barbara, will take you along some beautiful sights while boosting your metabolism. Now you really have no excuses left!

Congratulations on any amount of walking you can accomplish, but if you want to gain the most out of your walking session, the Conditioning Specialists trainers have useful tips you can use.

Frequency and Pace: If walking is your main form of exercise, Jesse recommends you "get out there and walk at least 5 times a week for about 45 minutes." People who walk a little faster or a little longer can expect to see more health benefits than people who walk less. A good recommendation is to walk 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. Try to walk as if you're on your way to an important meeting... that you're ten minutes late for.

Preparation: On non-walking days, it's a good idea to strength train and stretch. Melanie explains that it's important to stretch your legs, especially your calves. "Our calves get inherently tight when we walk, so it's a good idea to stretch them out as a preparation," she says. Ashley recommends flexibility training which will help you retain and maintain your range of motion. "Combined with strength training, it will help you stay injury free and keep your muscles, tendons and ligaments at their optimum strength."

Progression: For safely increasing the intensity of your exercise, add distance to your walks before increasing speed. As Jesse explains, "a person who walks fast (power walking) for 20 minutes typically will not burn as many calories as the person who walks a little slower, but sustains the walking for 40 minutes."

"It's more about duration than intensity," says Melanie. But if you are ready to kick it up a notch, increasing intensity by walking faster will help you tone and lose weight.

Form: Trainer Ashley explains there are some important things to keep in mind when walking. "You should check your posture from your feet all the way up to your head and shoulders." Your feet should point straight ahead, your knees should point forward as you bend them, hips stacked over your knees, shoulders back and stacked over your hips, and eyes looking straight ahead. You want to keep your stride natural, without overstriding or shuffling. For a tummy tightening bonus, engage your abs and draw in your navel as you walk.

Fuel Up: Ashley suggests eating a midmorning snack to keep your energy levels up and fight off hunger pangs before the noon time walk. Follow your walk with a nutritious lunch with a balance of carbohydrates and protein, and plenty of water.

Set a Goal: By setting up a concrete goal, such as "I will walk 1,000 more steps than yesterday," or "I will hold my stretches for a full 25 seconds," it will be easier to stick to your walking routine. Goal setters tend to be more successful with continuing their routine than those who don't set goals, or set goals that are too general, such as "I will walk more this month."

Dress it Up: Now that it is starting to get a little chilly in Santa Barbara, especially in the mornings and evenings, it's important to stay warm. The best tactic is dressing in layers and wearing a hat to keep your body nice and cozy as you head outdoors.

Shoes: Your choice of footwear can also affect your walking. Melanie recommends choosing lightweight Walking Shoes with good arch support and ample cushioning. If the tread on the bottom of your shoe is wearing out, it's time to invest in a new pair. Your joints will thank you.

Walking Into the Future

Conditioning Specialists hopes that the Walking Groups will help bring the community members together while reviving the energy levels of its members and boosting their productivity. "Getting out of the office for a noontime walk can break the monotony of the day, and improve your efficiency and alertness," says Ashley. New friends, strong legs AND getting more done at your job. Now that's a reason to celebrate.

As the Walking Groups expand, Jesse hopes to see the group "evolve into a community building event where the people who walk together begin to play together." His goal is to see people embrace exercise and feel comfortable getting out there and getting going. Looking forward, Melanie wishes to help members to achieve their cardiovascular and fitness goals. "I'm excited to meet new people, build new relationships, and help educate members about health and fitness." If nothing else, the Walking Groups offer another excuse to get outside and walk through the beautiful streets of downtown Santa Barbara!