When I was young, I used to wonder how men with big beer bellies slept at night. Wouldn’t that be uncomfortable? When I became a proud owner of one, I found that it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. And my belly was so big I couldn't even see my feet!

I went for a physical and the doctor advised me to exercise and eat right. I was eating all right, but apparently those weren’t the right things for a man my age to eat. So I had to change. I couldn’t run because of knee pain. The only exercise I could indulge in was walking. Walking is for wusses I thought. But I had no choice and I started walking, a brisk walk for about half an hour a day, every evening with my dog in tow. I would circle the block and be back home in time for a shower and dinner. I gradually increased the period to one hour and now I walk for about an hour and 10 minutes every evening. It makes me feel good and whenever I don’t walk it makes me feel lousy and lazy. I walk now more out of habit than out of want.

After getting into a walking routine, I lost weight, was in better health and I thought I looked better as well. I can see my feet now. Walking is not for wusses. It’s for people like me who need exercise to keep healthy and fit. Some of us resign to thinking that we are too old to exercise or indulge in any sort of physical activity. Walking is the low impact way to keeping that heart pumping long and hard and to feeling and looking good.