For most of the people who run or walk for exercise, the benefits are easy to explain. These individuals have more energy, feel better, sleep better, eat better, and generally look forward to that time spent exercising as part of their lifestyle.

It sounds so simple to runners; and they just can’t imagine someone not wanting to run or walk for exercise. But if that person is a non-runner or walker, even all those arguments and talking will not convince them that that is the exercise for them.

It might be that the favorite excuse of “I don't have time,” or maybe it is the embarrassment of finding out just how out of shape they are.

Sometimes it takes a little extra motivation to encourage people to start an exercise program. One of the best methods is to get somebody to go with you when you start.

Even when you do not feel like getting out for an exercise session, the fact that someone else is waiting for you often gets you out the door to meet your training partner. I remember meeting a running partner early in the morning and telling him I really did not want to run today. He responded that he didn’t either, but knew that he had to meet me at the corner at the specified time. We both had a good run and we were glad that we got the run in.

Another motivation item might be in the area of technology. You might invest in a pedometer that counts the number of steps you take each day, or a heart monitor that tells you if you are getting the maximum benefit from the workout.

Pedometers are little attachments that you clip on to your belt or waistband as you walk or run. Some of them will tell you the number of steps you take, an estimated calorie count for your efforts and maybe even the estimated distance that you covered. The standard that is being emphasized in exercise circles is to take 10,000 steps a day. Since these pedometers are usually quite small, they can be hidden under a shirt or jacket and no one will even know you are wearing it. This way the steps you take during the day at work or walking through the day doing errands will all count.

A rough estimate is that it takes 2,000 steps to walk one mile, or 10,000 steps for a distance of five miles. Pedometers come in various price ranges and each has certain benefits. Some of the “give-away” pedometers that you get at certain promotional stores are good because they are somewhere between free and under $5 in cost. The downside of these inexpensive models is that they are usually designed with a hairspring mechanism and will only last about 250,000 steps before they start to lose accuracy.

The next level of pedometer is the more expensive model that costs more than $5 and will last up to 1,000,000 steps before they wear out. Models that cost more than $15 are usually spring-coiled; the very expensive models have no moving parts to wear out and have a strain-gauge mechanism. These models will last around 5,000,000 steps or more. Five million steps seems like a unreachable number to walk; but if you walk that 10,000 steps every day, it will not take as long as you think and time will pass by very quickly. Some of the more expensive models will range in cost from $40 to $55 depending on the quality of the pedometer.

Any effort at exercise will be a benefit if you have not been active at all. To get the most benefit from exercise, you need to try to attain what exercise people call the “target heart rate.”

The easiest way to do this is to subtract your age from 220. The “target heart rate” is 50 to 85 percent of that number. A person who is 30 years of age has a maximum heart rate number of 190; and 50 percent of that is 100 beats per minute while 70 percent is around 133 beats per minute.

The purchase of a heart-monitor device that records your heart rate is an easy way to keep a record of the heart rate and is easier than trying to take your pulse as you walk or run. These monitors also range in cost, but moderately-priced models are very good for this.

It is recommended to start slowly and enjoy the effort, and then gradually pick up the pace. A slow walk allows the person to sing a song as they walk along. A moderate pace allows them to talk, but they will have to stop and pause to take a deep breath now and then during the conversation with their partner. A vigorous effort doesn’t allow much talking between partners and the pace is quite fast. Research has found that the moderate effort is just as beneficial as the vigorous effort, and for most people much more enjoyable.

Whatever it takes to get a sedentary person out doing some exercise and reaping all of the benefits of physical activity will be worth every step you take, whether you are walking or running.