Are you a person who doesn’t want to go to a gym or work out rigorously? Have you ever thought, does walking help you lose weight? What if we told you yes! Walking for weight loss has been a recommended workout routine for people of all ages since it doesn’t put much pressure on your body and can be incorporated easily into your routine.
Let us go through this article to know more about how walking helps you lose those extra pounds and how you need to prepare for a walk.
TOC:
How Does Walking Help to Lose Weight and Belly Fat
How to Start a Walk for Weight Loss: Beginner’s Guide
Is Walking Alone Enough to Lose Weight
Is Walking Better Than Running to Lose Weight
How Does Walking Help to Lose Weight and Belly Fat?
1. Burn Calories:
Walking has been the first choice for people who are beginning a workout for any reason. The speed of your walk determines the number of calories you burn. Therefore more distance you cover with a regulated rate makes you burn all those unnecessary calories in your body. You can cut out the extra flab by adding an hour of walking teamed up with a healthy diet plan. Several calorie loss calculators for walking are available in apps, and some watches can count the burning calories.
2. Improves Metabolism:
When you are using your body for a workout session, your body needs more energy, increasing the metabolic process. Walking helps increase metabolism as your body demands energy in the process. You can boost your metabolism by either going out for a moderate walk for an hour or a brisk walk up a hill can work out too. Walking is a form of cardiovascular exercise that not only helps boost your metabolism but may also suppress your appetite temporarily.
3. Burns Belly Fat:
One of the best and easy ways to lose belly fat is walking. Visceral fat or otherwise also known as internal belly fat can be reduced with brisk walking. This type of fat can be very harmful to your health. It helps burn the fat stored in your body, with the help of a long, brisk walk. The intensity of the fat burning from your belly depends upon the speed and power of your walking that helps for weight loss.
4. Stress Relief:
Stress has become part and parcel of every one of our lives. There is always a need for a vent out for any of us to maintain our mental health. Walking comes to the rescue and is considered one of the best stress-buster for people of any age. Walking improves your body’s circulation, providing the oxygen and nutrients to your cells, reducing the stress levels significantly. It also reduces the production of stress hormones by stimulating the nervous system receptors.
5. Weight Loss:
Physical activity should be an essential part of the everyday routine. Walking is the best way to start your exercise. It is suitable for people of all ages and can be done with no heavy equipment. The calorie loss by walking depends upon the intensity of your walk.
You can also choose a walking buddy so that you stay motivated to lose weight healthily. Along with brisk walking, you can gain significant results by following a healthy diet plan.
Many researchers suggest that obese patients lose up to 5 pounds on average when paired with another obese patient (1).
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How to start a walk for weight loss: Beginner’s Guide
1. Prepare for the Walk:
Before you start brisk walking for weight loss, preparing for it plays an important role. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, consult a doctor before you start anything new. Here are some tips to prepare yourself before you start walking.
- Don’t forget to do a warm-up stretches before you start walking.
- Wear proper shoes so that your feet have adequate support.
- Wear cotton clothing so that there is proper air circulation.
- Take a water bottle with you so that you stay hydrated.
- Although optional, having a music source makes the walk enjoyable.
2. How Long to Walk:
Walking for at least half-an-hour is the recommended time to lose weight effectively. This is considered moderate when you do it most days of the week, especially if you are a beginner.
If you can’t spend thirty continuous minutes walking, you can break it into ten-minute intervals throughout the day. Don’t forget to walk at a brisk pace.
3. How Much Walking:
Initially, start with shorter periods so that you can get used to the routine. You can begin your first day with a short period walk and alternate it with long walks. Consistency is the key to weight loss with the help of walking.
Once you are consistent with the new routine, your body also gets used to it and starts showing improvement in your metabolism and helps burn all those extra calories.
If you feel too tired, you can take a day off, but make sure you don’t break the momentum too often.
4. Walking Speed:
The speed with which you walk depends upon your physical ability. A warm-up is a necessary and first step to start any physical activity. This process helps you stretch your muscles, preparing your body for walking.
Start your walking at a slow pace initially; then, you can increase the speed gradually. You can take the stairs instead of a lift, and if you want to lose most calories out of a short walking session, then brisk walking is the way to go.
Unlike high-intensity exercises, the best way to include workout into your daily routine is to do a consistent yet moderately-intense walking.
5. Best Walking Technique:
Following a proper technique plays an essential role in healthily losing weight. Here are the steps you need to keep in mind:
- Posture: Good posture make your walking stride more natural, engaging in your core muscles. If your posture is not proper, you may have pains and aches all over your body.
- The Motion of Your Arm: With a proper arm motion, you can burn 10 percent more calories. Make sure there is a balance of movement between your arms and legs. This will add speed to your stride.
- Walking Stride: If you want to add power and speed to your stride then, pushing off by your rear foot is the key. Make sure you are not overstriding.
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Is Walking Alone Enough to Lose Weight?
Is walking the only form of exercise for you? Then weight loss depends upon a lot of factors such as duration and the intensity of your walking.
But walking alone might not be enough for you to reach your goal weight. With a combination of a healthy diet and brisk walking, you can lose those extra pounds more effectively.
Start by adding a simple 30-minute brisk walk to your daily routine, and you can burn up to 150 calories. You can burn more calories as time goes by, increasing the pace.
Eating a healthy and well-rounded diet, along with walking, will help you not only lose those pounds but maintain a healthy lifestyle too.
Is Walking Better Than Running to Lose Weight?
If you think walking does not have much of an impact on your body when compared to running, it is far from the truth. If you are a beginner, walking is a much better workout routine than running. If you start running, putting weight loss aside, you may injure yourself since it is too fast.
Consider your health, age, and time you have in your hands; you can choose a diet and walking to lose weight. This is especially effective if you are a beginner and may need some time to pick up the pace.
You don’t have to feel like you have to go for a running plan; it is more accessible and useful if you aim to lose weight by walking, especially if you are a beginner.
Walking for weight loss is one of the best ways to lose all those unwanted pounds from your body. It also makes your body more toned, getting rid of all those flabby parts. Walking requires no heavy equipment, making it an accessible option for people of all ages. This is the reason you find walking parks gaining popularity in many metropolitan cities. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up your shoes and start your weight loss journey with a walk in the park.
See More: How To Use Jogging for Weight Loss
Disclaimer: This article provides you information based on research and is not the website’s personal opinion. Consult your physician before you start introducing anything new into your routine.
F.A.Qs:
1. Does Walking Help You Maintain the Weight You Lose?
Ans: Maintaining the lost weight is as essential as losing those extra pounds. Don’t stop walking once you reached that goal weight, since continuing it will help you maintain a healthy weight. Many studies show that regular physical activity will help people maintain their weight loss.
2. Does Walking Tone and Build Your Muscles?
Ans: Along with weight loss, walking helps strengthen the core muscles giving you a toned body. It contributes to tightening the muscles in the midriff and lower body, building up muscular strength. This makes you do more activities without feeling tired all the time.
3. How Much Can Be Too Much Walking For Weight Loss?
Ans: Being consistent is more important than being intensive when you are walking for weight loss. If you walk more than the required amount of time, it may cause chronic foot pain, making it painful. So, make sure you pick a time frame that you are comfortable doing.