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walking for weight loss

Walking for Weight Loss

Walking for weight loss is the perfect solution for people who don’t have time to exercise yet want to improve their fitness, burn fat and lose weight.

Now we’ve covered the reasons why aerobic exercises like walking are the best exercises for weight loss, so we won’t repeat it all again.

Suffice to say that aerobic exercises cause your body to tap into its fat reserves to fuel the exercise and that’s why they’re such effective fat burners.

So…

Build Walking for Weight Loss

Hate going to the gym? Does the thought of lycra clad lovelies and sweaty sweat shirts fill you with dread?

No problem, there is another option – simply go for a walk!

walking for weight loss

OK, you’re pushed for time, right?

But it’s really easy to build a brisk daily or every-other-day walk into your busy schedule. You just have to make a decision to do it.

Here’s what we mean:

  • First, map out a route that starts and finishes at your front door
  • Measure the distance in your car if you can, or approximate it – you’re looking for a route of about a mile to start off with
  • This will be the route for your daily walk and you’ll be aiming to cover it in around 15-20 minutes – that’s 3-4 miles an hour, which is a fairly brisk pace
  • Pick a regular time each day for your walk so it becomes a habit and stick to it, no excuses now! First thing in the morning is best, but whenever you can manage it will do
  • Put on some comfortable shoes and loose clothes and go for it
  • Walk at a pace that makes you breathe a little harder than normal and gets you a little hot and sweaty
  • Your legs should feel the strain – you’re not strolling, you’re aiming to increase your aerobic fitness and to burn fat
  • Repeat this 4-5 days a week minimum, every day if you can
  • As your fitness increases aim to increase the distance a little if you want to by adding a short section of a hundred yards or so to your walk and try and cover it in the same 15-20 minutes
  • When you’re finsihed, walk around for a minute or two until your breathing is back to normal. Drink a glass of water to rehydrate yourself
  • How easy is that? We’re sorry, but if you can’t manage a 15-20 minute walk 4-5 times a week are you really serious about losing weight?

    It doesn’t sound much, but getting into the habit of walking for weight loss in this way will make a real difference over time to your weight loss efforts.

    You burn 100 calories a mile walking, most of it fat.

    You’ll probably burn a bit more as you’re carrying around those extra few pounds of weight.

    That’s an extra 400-500 calories a week. Furthermore, because your body gradually winds your metabolism down after prolonged, moderate exercise you’ll burn a few more calories for several hours after your walk.

    In fact, you could end up doubling the amount of calories you burn!

    Make Walking for Weight Loss a Habit…

    The hardest thing about exercise is getting yourself motivated to do it and then doing it regularly.

    You know the feeling…you get up in the morning and it’s cold and dark and you make a few excuses not to.

    You get home from work and have the tea to make, the kids to look after, you’re tired, there’s a good show on TV…

    You have a lunchtime meeting, you’re busy at the weekend with family stuff…

    There are a million and one reasons why you can’t go for a walk.

    But just do it. That’s the cure for procrastination…just do it!

    That’s why it’s important to set aside a specific time of day for your walk. Write it down, block it off in your diary.

    Pretty soon you get into a routine…and we all love routine!

    We’re not kidding you, make time for a walk and you will notice the difference!

    You’ll feel better and more in control.

    You’ll stop getting out of breathe doing easy everyday activities. You’ll notice improved muscle tone in your legs.

    And best of all, you’ll lose more weight!

    Walking for weight loss – what could be simpler!

    About Ebnul Karim