Walking is the ultimate fitness activity in our daily lives, subconsciously. Walking can do wonders for your weight and inch loss journey when inculcated in our routine as a conscious fitness regime. All you need to do is walk more systematically and be aware of your daily walking. But before understanding how to manage your walking schedule for weight loss, let’s know the benefits of walking.
The easiest workout method, walking, offers a plethora of health benefits. Here are some of them
- Promotes conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
- Bone and muscle strengthening.
- Improves one’s stamina.
- Aids high energy levels.
- Builds cardiovascular fitness.
- Immediate mood lifter. Improves social skills.
- Lessen pain in joints and make them stronger.
- Helps in decreasing depression.
How Walking Boosts Weight Loss
Overweight issues are a reality. Many people face problems related to reducing their weight and overall inches regularly. Most aren’t able to maintain their current weight because of overeating habits or unhealthy eating practices. Add to that the lazy attitude towards workouts. It becomes a task to lose weight. In such a scenario, walking can come to your rescue. Its simplicity makes it an appealing activity for most.
After all, a fun stroll or two in the park with your friends can’t harm anyone, right? Walking is a convenient way to boost your health and lose weight. All you need is a good pair of shoes and an open, safe space to walk—no need for fancy gym memberships, heavy equipment, or detailed knowledge of different regimes.
You should inculcate any physical activity with a change in your attitude towards eating. A nutritious diet is a must to see good results. People often tend to stop entirely because of the monotony they face while instilling a balanced diet and going to the gym together. Walking is a lot simpler form of exercise and, therefore, easy to adapt to regularly along with a healthy diet.
How Pace of Walking Matters
The speed at which you walk makes a lot of difference. Walking at a moderate pace is advisable, also called a brisk walk. According to experts, walking about 100 steps per minute (about 3 miles per hour) is considered a moderate walking speed. In it, while you can talk properly in complete sentences, you shouldn’t be able to sing.
It is quite easy to measure your speed of walking through various techniques like apps, smartwatches, fitness trackers, pulse monitors, etc. These tools also help you to measure your heart rate, which plays a part in maintaining your exertion level.
For one to speed up while walking, techniques like arm motion, bettering one’s posture, foot motion, and stride help a lot. Other factors also determine the amount of weight you might lose, like terrain, outdoor/indoor temperature, and your age and sex. But walking faster and the time period for which you walk daily are the main decisive factors in losing weight.
Some Methods to See Quick Results
1. Walk at Intervals
It is observed that people who do intermittent walking tend to lose more weight than one’s who take a walk at a go. We advise you to take a walk twice or thrice a day for short periods. If you have set a goal of walking for 60 minutes daily, divide them into 3 phases with 20 minutes/ walk.
2. Walking Uphill Helps
Try to walk on an elevated surface than a flat one. You get more exhausted, and the heartbeat increases more on an uphill surface. This helps build muscles, promotes metabolism, and produces more strain on the body, which is helpful for weight loss.
You can even practice this on a treadmill. Take a walk at no-incline mode for 5 minutes at a moderate speed of 3.5 MPH. Then walk for 5 minutes at an incline of 3% and keep walking speed at 4 MPH. Now come back to no-incline mode and walk for 2 minutes at a speed of 3.5 MPH.
Repeat this process for at least 30 minutes. You can increase the incline intensity, walking speed, and time period as your body builds stamina. This method makes you feel more exerted and is more efficient in losing weight.
It’s important to maintain a good posture while walking uphill. Keep your back straight, eyes forward, lean your ankles slightly into the hills and keep your torso over your hips.
3. Fast and Slow Method
To reap the benefits of walking more efficiently, you can try the fast and slow method. This is a high-intensity workout session where you walk at a normal pace for 5 minutes for your body to warm up. Then walk at a fast pace for 2 minutes. Now slow down to a normal pace for 2 minutes to cool down. Repeat this process at least 5-10 times. In the end, let your body cool down completely by a walk at a normal pace for 5 minutes.
Conclusion
Adapting walking as a way of life can change your life for the better. You’ll start feeling less sluggish and more energetic. Walking is easy and can be adapted through various conscious efforts.
- Taking stairs instead of the elevator
- Going to the office or local bus station by foot
- Taking casual strolls after meals
- Walking at home while on a phone call or
- Even just walking on your balcony for 5-10 minutes daily
All these are good ways to get started. They don’t require much effort but just a bit more awareness daily.
It is proven through many surveys that daily walking of 60 minutes along with a calorie-restricted diet has significantly helped people lose anywhere between 7-9 kgs over six months.
You can also bring this change in your life by adopting this marvelous habit that not helps you stay fit but keep your spirits high.
