Use these tips and guidelines to safely and effectively get into the hiking life:
Ask Your Doctor - Before you start any physical activity, you really should get a doctor's blessing. If you've been inactive for awhile, your doctor may recommend other programs or preventive measures.
Enjoy It - Hiking is recreation which means its supposed to be fun. Take your walks someplace clean and green that you can enjoy.
Take a Friend - As long as you're practicing hiking in high traffic areas in which you feel safe, you can hike alone. But, for real hikes make sure you have at least one buddy along. It would be great to have this friend do your same hiking schedule, but at least be confident that s/he is capable of completing your planned hike.
Be a Turtle - start slow and build gradually. Here's a sample schedule for someone in good health just starting to hike: