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" You&amp;#039;ve heard it before but it&amp;#039;s worth repeating: Staying healthy means staying active. Just how much good can it do? Regular exercise has been proven to lower your risk of just about everything, including heart attack, stroke and cancer. Research even shows it&amp;#039;ll help you live longer. Walking, of course, is a great pick, but not all routines are created equal. We looked at the research, consulted the experts, and created targeted plans to help you reach five common wellness goals. Pick one, grab your sneakers, and walk for your best health yet.   The Goal: Strengthen My Immune System Rx: Walk 5 days a week Whenever you exercise, your body bumps up the activity of two important cells that fight off viruses and bacteria. &amp;quot;These cells are like the Marine Corps of the immune system,&amp;quot; says David C. Nieman, DrPH, director of the human performance lab at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Unfortunately, the effect is temporary\u2014your immune system returns to pre-exercise levels within a few hours. That&amp;#039;s why near-daily exercise is crucial for this health goal. But the payoff&amp;#039;s worth it: In a 12-week trial, people who exercised at least 5 days a week took 50 percent fewer sick days than those who weren&amp;#039;t active. And when the fit people did get sick, their symptoms were less severe.   The Plan (5 times a week): \u25CF 3 min: Warm up \u25CF 39 min: Walk at a moderate pace \u25CF 3 min: Cool down   The Goal: Keep My Heart Healthy Rx: Interval training According to data from the Nurses&amp;#039; Health Study, 30 minutes of walking per day may cut heart attack risk by 30 to 40 percent. Research also shows that alternating high-intensity bouts with less strenuous ones (interval training) is especially effective. &amp;quot;This increases the amount of oxygen your heart can pump,&amp;quot; says David P. Swain, PhD, professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Exercise also increases HDL (&amp;quot;good&amp;quot;) cholesterol and lowers triglycerides and resting blood pressure; you can expect results within about four weeks. If you&amp;#039;re new to exercise, do interval training only after you&amp;#039;ve logged several weeks of walking at a steady pace.   The Plan (3 times a week on nonconsecutive days): \u25CF 5 min: Warm up \u25CF 20\u201330 min: Interval walking (walk 3\u20135 min at moderate pace, then 3\u20135 min at fast pace; repeat) \u25CF 5 min: Cool down   The Goal: Lose Dangerous Belly Fat Rx: Power walking Turns out flattening that belly doesn&amp;#039;t just help you look good. Numerous health conditions\u2014 including insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and even premature death\u2014have been linked to belly bulge. (Women should aim for a waistline of no more than 35 inches; men should keep it to 40 inches or less.) Fortunately, you don&amp;#039;t have to spend hours in a gym to whittle your waist: Research shows that walking can protect you. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that brisk walking for 2 1/2 hours a week helped people lose 6.9 percent of the fat around their waistline (an average of an inch).   The Plan (5 times a week): \u25CF 5 min: Warm up \u25CF 20 min: Power-walk: Focus on taking short, fast steps while keeping your posture tall. To increase your speed, bend your elbows to 90 degrees and keep them alongside your body (don&amp;#039;t let them cross in front of you). \u25CF 5 min: Cool down   The Goal: Stress Less Rx: Mindful walking Exercise helps you deal with stress in two ways: When you work out, your body produces endorphins, which can make you feel more relaxed. Exercise can also blunt the negative effect of stress hormones, like cortisol, that your body produces when you&amp;#039;re tense. The activity doesn&amp;#039;t have to be intense, and if you combine it with a relaxation or mindfulness technique (such as repeating a mantra or visualizing a relaxing place), you&amp;#039;ll get even greater benefits, says James M. Rippe, MD , founder and director of Rippe Lifestyle Institute in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. In his study, one group walked while doing relaxation or mindfulness techniques; the second simply walked. Everyone felt less stressed after exercise, but the first group experienced a greater decrease.   The Plan (as often as you can): \u25CF 10\u201330 min: Walk at a comfortable pace. As you walk, visualize a relaxing place, such as a beach, mountain or whatever soothes you. Or think of a calming phrase, such as a prayer or mantra (&amp;quot;I love life&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;I feel relaxed&amp;quot;), and say one word to yourself with each step. \u25CF 1 min: Finish by closing your eyes and asking yourself how you feel. Remember that feeling during the day, especially when you&amp;#039;re stressed.   The Goal: Lower My Cancer Risk Rx: 2 1/2 to 5 hours of walking each week When it comes to reducing your risk of breast cancer, it&amp;#039;s the number of hours you log that matters. Exercise may help because it lowers the amount of estrogen in your bloodstream. In fact, a study published in Medicine &amp;amp;amp; Science in Sports &amp;amp;amp; Exercise found that women who did moderate exercise for 2 1/2 hours weekly were 33 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Those who were very fit\u2014 exercising 5 hours each week\u2014were 55 percent less likely to be diagnosed with the disease. There are many ways you can rack up the time, and we&amp;#039;ve given you some ideas below.   The Plan   (2 1/2 hours a week): \u25CF Walk 30 min 5 days a week OR \u25CF Walk 22 min 7 days a week   (5 hours a week): \u25CF Walk 60 min 5 days a week OR \u25CF Walk 60 min 3 days a week plus 30 min 4 days a week "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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