Walking To Lose Weight
The weight loss and exercise market is flooded with new products and
programs each month. They show up, get
really popular for a little while, and then you never hear about them again. But one plan
that keeps showing up over and over again is walking to lose weight. The
reason it doesn't seem to lose in popularity, is that it works really
well and is easy to do if you know how to do it right.
The first key to walking to lose weight is to walk long enough. You
should walk about an hour a day, 5 to 6 days
a week to see the pounds melt off. If this is too much for you, start walking less and work your
way up. If you can only make it 15 minutes, then walk 15 minutes and try
to fit in another 15 minutes later in the day. If you
stick with it and challenge yourself to add an additional 5 minutes to
your walking workouts each week, you’ll quickly work your way up
to 30 or 40 minutes of walking. Just
walk every day and you’ll reach that hour mark in no time.
The second step to getting a good workout from walking is to walk
fast enough to really get your heart pumping. Once you’ve hit your goal of
walking an hour, try increasing how far you walk. Aim to walk a little
farther than you did the day before, while still walking for only an
hour. In other words, step it up by walking a little faster.
Another great way to keep up your heart rate is to change your
walking speed throughout your workout. This is also referred to as
interval training. For example, start at a normal pace for a
minute or two; then walk as fast as you can for a minute. After that
minute just repeat the process for your whole walk. This will maintain a
good heart rate without wearing you out.
The last step is to build muscle mass so you keep burning calories even
when you’re not working out. If you’re just starting out, you will
probably build muscles just by walking. Once you’re more accomplished,
you can build up even more lean muscle mass this by adding hills or steep slopes to your route. You can
also build muscles by having a proper walking posture, holding in your
stomach, and flexing your leg muscles as you walk. If you’re a serious
walker, you can learn to race walk to further build muscle mass.
To build upper body muscles, carry some weights with you. This can be as
simple as carrying around two filled water bottles while you walk.
Another option is to use two walking poles. Swinging these poles
back and forth makes for another great upper body workout that will help
you burn more calories during your walk, tone your upper body and add a
little more muscle mass.
Now that you’ve gotten started on your walking workout, remember to keep
going. If you start to get bored, listen to your favorite tunes on an
mp3 player or invite a friend to come along. Try altering your route and
explore a new area. Just don’t give up and you’ll do great!
For more information about walking for weightloss visit out sister-site Walking Off The Weight. While you're there, don't forget to sign up for the free weight loss tips newsletter.
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