How to Never Go to the Gym and Still Be Thinner Than People Who Do 

Bonus: You don't have to spend a dime.

Well, here’s one reason to take your dog for a longer-than-usual brisk walk today. New research led by a health economist at the London School of Economics and Political Science found that regularly getting your walk on could be better than going to the gym when it comes to keeping your waistline in check. Hallelujah!

According to the Huffington Post, researchers analyzed data from over 50,000 individuals and found that those who reported taking regular brisk walks of over 30 minutes had smaller waists and lower BMIs than those who engaged in regular moderate-intensity exercise like hitting the gym, cycling, dancing and so on.

Why this was they case, they don’t know; the findings were simply correlational. So if you love going to the gym, definitely don’t stop just because you’re reading this. After all, your gym sessions are certainly doing you (and your waistline) much more good than harm. But on the flip side, if you hate the gym more than you hate, well, anything else in life, then try taking up walking. It could be your new favorite – effective! — workout. (And pssst:If you want to turn a walking session into a full-fledged sweat session, we’ve got some tips.)

Like what you’re reading? Stay in touch with Be Well Philly — here’s how: