Walking Your Way to Weight Lo... Health Article
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For those of us who aren't fond of strenuous athletic activity, thank goodness for walking. It's finally come into its own as a great form of exercise. In fact, studies have shown that even slow walking offers health benefits. But if you're trying to lose weight, you'll need to do more than a leisurely stroll.
How fast can you lose fat?
Wouldn't it be great if walking could be measured in pounds lost per hour? Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. The number of calories you burn depends on, among other things, your pace and your body weight. The more you weigh, the more calories you'll burn per hour.
To lose weight, you should strive for a pace that increases your heart rate but still allows you to carry on a conversation. Maintain that pace for 45 to 60 minutes. If you haven't been exercising previously at this level, however, you need to check with your health care provider first.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, walking 1-3/4 miles in 35 minutes, or 20 minutes per mile, will burn about 150 calories. To lose a pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. That's a lot of walking. You can reduce your walking time, however, if you also reduce the number of calories you eat a day.
Technique contributes to making a walk a workout, because the way you use your arms and legs can affect your speed. These tips will help you improve your technique and pick up your pace.
Swing your arms
Keeping your elbows slightly bent, move your arms backward and forward next to the side of your body while you walk. Don't force your swing out farther than is comfortable. Swinging your arms will help propel you along.
Don't make a tight fist
Relax your hands, because in some people a tight fist can raise blood pressure.
Take wide strides
You want to walk with a long stride, but not one that is artificially lengthened to an uncomfortable point or you'll put too much pressure on your lower back. To find your normal stride, stand with your feet together, then lean forward as if you were going to fall, but use a bar, cane or something else to prevent a fall. The step you take to catch yourself is typically a good walking stride.
Keep your head facing forward
Your chin should be parallel to the ground. You don't want to look up or down.
Keep a straight back
Walk in an upright position. Don't lean your upper body forward as you walk.
Walk with your abdominal muscles tight
Use your stomach muscles to lift your rib cage and support your lower back.
Step through your entire foot
Strike the ground with your heel first, roll forward on your foot, then push off with the toe on every step.
Avoid adding weights
Hand weights can put stress on your shoulder muscles and, when tightly gripped, can further increase your blood pressure if you have hypertension. Ankle weights can throw off your balance and put excess strain on your ankles and knees. You can increase the intensity of your walking workout by finding a hilly route or by adding an interval of walking up and down stairs. Hills and stairs increase both the toning effects of your walk and your caloric expenditure.
Don't rule out treadmills
A treadmill eliminates weather as a factor, and many models can simulate hilly terrain to give you a more challenging workout.