1. It’s great for the heart
In a recent study conducted at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that walking briskly for 30 minutes every day lowers your odds of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Roughly 24 million women in the United States have metabolic syndrome. Don’t have time for a daily half-hour walk? Try multitasking: A British study found that active commuting (incorporating walking and cycling into your sedentary commute) is associated with an 11 percent reduction in heart-disease risk, especially among women. (For sneaky ways to work more walking into your life, see No Time to Walk? Try This.)

2. It cuts breast-cancer risks
Walking, even for a few hours a week, significantly reduces breast-cancer risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The thinking is that walking helps reduce levels of body fat, a source of estrogen. The research looked at 74,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79. Those at a normal weight lowered their risk by 30 percent; those who were overweight, by 10 to 20 percent. Younger women may also gain similar benefits.

3. It helps you sleep
A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night’s sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Experts say that walking may boost levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, which relaxes you. Or, the rise in body temperature brought on by walking may signal the brain to lower your temperature later, which promotes sleep. (Avoid a walk two hours before bed—that’s too late to cool down.)

4. It cuts down on aches and pains
Walk the “chi” (pronounced chee) way and you could have fewer achy days. Nine years ago, Danny Dreyer, an ultra-marathoner then living near San Francisco, invented ChiWalking, which incorporates ideas from tai chi, yoga, and Pilates. It looks like regular walking but, because you consciously relax, improve the alignment of your body, and involve arm movements, puts less stress on the legs while you walk. That means fewer aches. “ChiWalking can cut down any risk of injury,” says Alice Peters Diffely, a ChiWalking instructor in Portland, Oregon. “Your whole body will feel better.”

5. It makes you happy
Walking can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. Just one 30-minute walk may make you feel better when you’re down, University of Texas researchers found. Head out for 90 minutes five times a week and you’ll get the biggest boost, according to a new study from Temple University. One possible explanation: Walking helps the body produce endorphins, the mood-boosting chemicals linked to “runner’s high.”

6. It keeps you slimmer
Walking for 30 minutes a day can pre-vent weight gain in most people who are physically inactive, according to another Duke study. And researchers from Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh showed that women who walked for an hour five days a week and consumed 1,500 calories a day lost and kept off 25 pounds over the course of a year. The reason walking helps control your weight: It’s easy! “The harder the exercise is, the less people will do it,” says Johnny Benjamin, MD, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Fla.

7. It staves off senior moments
Several studies in older people suggest that walking—even for as little as 45 minutes a week—helps ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Regular strolls are also linked to mental sharpness in seniors. But regardless of your age, walking is likely to help keep your mind active, Dr. Benjamin says—particularly if you stroll with friends; walking while talking is a surefire brain booster.

8. It protects your bones
Just 30 minutes of walking three times a week does wonders to prevent and treat thinning bones. This kind of exercise, which uses 95 percent of your muscles, actually pushes your bones to get stronger so they can handle the load. “Walking,” Look says, “is not just for cardio.”

By Lambeth Hochwald

 It protects your bones,It staves off senior moments,It keeps you slimmer,It makes you happy,It cuts down on aches and pains,It helps you sleep,It cuts breast-cancer risks,It’s great for the heart,exercise, Fitness, health magazine june 2008, walking, workout

1. Best pedometer: ThinQ pedometer. Sportline’s credit card–size step-counter tucks into your purse or pocket to tally your daily paces and the calories you burn. And it comes in lime green, blue, and orange. ($29.99)

2. Best reflective device/light: Nite Ize Flashflight SpotLit L.E.D. Carabiner Light. Calling all night owls. Clip the lightweight, water-resistant light on your bag’s zipper, your bike, or even your dog’s collar, and you’ll stay safe on evening walks and hikes. ($7)

  3. Best hydration: Hydrapak Gel-Bot Bottle. Great for a day hike or tough Spinning class, this cleverly designed bottle holds water and sports gel in one container. Push the nozzle down to get the gel; pull it up for water. Easy to clean, too. ($13.99)

4. Best gym bag: Sherpani Blaze Sport Duffle. Our Gear judges loves the many pockets on this cute bag—it even has a fleece-lined one to safely stash shades and an external water bottle pouch. Stowable straps make it easy to convert from duffle to backpack. ($64.95)

  5. Best watch: Timex Ironman Sleek iControl Watch. Forget fumbling for your iPod midwalk. Instead, sync it up with this watch, then just push buttons on its face to play, skip, and adjust the volume of your favorite tunes. ($100) 

1. Best light hiking: Keen Voyageur. Side mesh panels on these cute hikers help keep your feet cool even when you’re blazing a new trail. The solid tread and reinforced arch ward off ankle-twists. ($89.95)

2. Best running: New Balance WR768. These get top marks for cushioning, durability, and flexibility for runners with low arches. Visit Health.com/americashealthiest for the best shoes for medium- and high-arched runners. ($94.99)

  3. Best trail running: GoLite Versa Force. With a cleatlike (but comfortable) tread, rock-defying heel-and-toe coverage, and antistink inner lining, these ultralightweight shoes will have you itching to go off-road. ($130)

4. Best walking: Merrell Siren Ventilator. Perfect for a quick jaunt or a calorie-blasting power-walk, these shoes have a rubber sole that comfortably supports your arch, and the beveled heel allows you to pick up the pace without shortening your stride. ($85)

Here they are: The 25 workout must-haves that will help you get in the best shape of your life (without wasting half of it shopping). Our judges have done the hard part. All you have to do is get moving! Most winners are available at sporting-goods stores