Walking to Fitness

fitness walking burn more calories
Vigorous walking is a wonderful form of exercise and it is something almost everyone knows how to do. No equipment is required and the risk of injury is very low and it is not hard on the joints. Walking for fitness and weight loss is an activity you can do anywhere. It enhances health and improves the quality of life and longevity. Some of the many benefits include: muscle strengthening and improved circulation, building up the immune system and improving the ability to break down harmful stress hormone and fats in the blood. Research suggests that the risk of type 2 diabetes can be reduced by as much as 60 percent.

The many benefits of walking

There are so many advantages to having a brisk walk, and developing this in your routine, here just some of them:
  1. Walking regularly makes your heart stronger and can also reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart disease. It increases levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and lowers the levels of LDL (bad).
  2. Exercise we know boosts your mood and increases your positive mental health. Various studies show that a regular fast paced walk can be just as successful as antidepressants in mild or moderate cases of depression. Walking releases endorphins while reducing anxiety and stress.
  3. Older people who walk 40 minutes a day or more, three times a week are less likely to have brain shrinkage and will offset signs of brain atrophy thus preventing the onset of dementia.
  4. Walking not only helps you lose weight, but the faster the pace the more calories are burned. For example if you walk 2 mph for 30 minutes you will burn a round 75 calories. Increasing the speed to 3 mph it will be 100 calories and 4 mph a whopping 150 calories.
  5. Walking can also tone and firm up the stomach, backside and of course the legs (hamstrings, quads and calves).
  6. All of us need to be outdoors as much as possible and in very hot climates sun screen is always advised. Vitamin D is important for affecting the immune system. The intake of vitamin D is important for the regulation of calcium and phosphorus absorption as well as maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.

Walking does burn fat without question. For an effective walking work out at a medium intensity, twenty minutes to a half hour is a good starting point. Those new to exercise will find that rather than jogging where you tire out quicker, persevering with a good paced walk is better and you are not likely to be so out of breath and give up after a few minutes.

The Brisk walker

The key is to convert your normal paced walk into a stride of fitness, also known as power walking. When doing this you ensure:
  • You breathe naturally.
  • Your head is not looking at the ground but up and looking forward.
  • Your shoulders, back and neck are relaxed.
  • Your arms have a slight bend in the elbow and are freely swinging.
  • The muscles in your stomach are slightly tightened, the back is kept straight and not arched.
  • You walk in a smooth manner and let the feet roll from the heel to the toe and have your feet follow naturally the pace of the arms.
Walking is a fabulous way to lose weight and the knowledge in doing it effectively will help you reach your desired weight in a matter of weeks. For weight maintenance the essential part is sticking to a walking program, which many people find they can do quite willingly.

How much weight can I lose just by walking?

This of course depends on how often you walk. I would suggest if you are just starting out walk 3 to 4 times per week for at least 20-30 minutes. This needs to be slowly increased in duration as well as frequency. The desired goal here is to be walking 45-60 minutes per day at least 5 times a week. The main thing is to make it a part of your routine.

By losing a pound each week it will take two and a half months at least to lose ten pounds. Walking for weight loss has a proven safe and effective way to shed pounds over the long term. By attempting to burn an extra 250 to 500 calories per day by walking you can lose between a ½ – 1 pound each week. If this is not the case and walking alone does not burn away the calories, then we must turn our attention to our diet and reduce our caloric intake as well as walking. Make walking part of your routine and you will walk your way to a fitter, flatter you.

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