1. Turn Christmas shopping into a workout.

Instead of driving around in circles to find the good parking spot, park further away, slip on a pair of comfortable shoes and walk (briskly) the extra distance. If this is your only chance to get in a work out, grab the opportunity and walk briskly around the shopping mall or plaza for an extra 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Interval walking to get more out of your workout.

If you want to get more sweat per stride, break up your walk into slow and fast segments. Vary the pace of your walk. For example, do a minute or two of fast walking, followed by a recovery phase where you do a minute or two of slow walking, repeat for 30 minutes.

3. Swing it.

You may feel odd doing it, but swinging your arms is a good way to work up a sweat and raise your heart rate. Make sure not to move your arms around too loosely. Bend them 90 degrees at the elbow and swing them naturally. This will quicken your pace, raise your heart rate, use more muscles, and burn 5 to 10 per cent more calories.

4. Head for the hills.

If you live in a hilly area, or have easy access to a hill, you can crank up your walks by going uphill. (You can also do this on a treadmill.) Climbing uphill burns major calories and is great for toning your glutes (buttocks) and the back of your thighs.

5. Sandy feet.

If you're at the beach, take the opportunity to get in a workout. Walking in the sand requires more energy than walking on a paved or even surface. Plus, you can’t beat the view.

6. Circuit walking.

Here's a clever way to sneak in some strength training and get more benefits from your walk. If you walk in a park or other areas with a wall or a bench, use these items for push-ups, sit-ups and to other exercises you would do in a gym.