Many people would not think of something as mundane as walking as a viable way to work out. It’s a low intensity, low impact, low injury risk exercise technique. Ypu won’t need any training or special equipment. You already know how to it – in fact, you probably do it every day.
Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to let familiarity breed contempt in this case. You can lose a few pounds and achieve some major health benefits without the need to put yourself through an exercise schedule suitable for a professional athlete. There are numerous benefits provided by this simple exercise technique – one of which is weight loss.
Walking can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It can help reduce cholesterol levels and also relieve hypertension. As it is a weight bearing exercise, it can increase bone density and help to build muscle. It can help raise the efficiency of both the heart and lungs. The probability of contracting certain types of cancer can be reduced as a result of walking regularly. It can also help to fight anxiety and combat depression. Research in the UK seems to suggest that walking just 8 miles each week can help to stave off senile dementia. As previously mentioned, it can help you to shed a few pounds, get in better shape and feel a whole lot better in general.
That’s an impressive list of benefits. It reads more like an advert for the latest wonder drug rather than a mundane activity that you do every day! You don’t need to “go for the burn” or adopt a “no pain, no gain” mentality. All that you need to do is a little more walking than normal, and you need to keep doing it on a regular basis – you will be pleasantly surprised at just how quickly you begin to see results.
There are numerous opportunities for you to walk a little more. You can slot it into your day whenever it’s most convenient for you. Leave your car at home and walk to work or the shops is a commonly proffered piece of advice. However, if that isn’t workable for you then use your car anyway but park it in a remote corner of the parking lot so that you have to walk further in order to reach the entrance. If you use the bus or the subway, get off a couple of stops before you reach your destination and walk the last section of your journey. Climb the stairs instead of using the elevator. Take a walk during your lunch hour. Walk around whilst you talk on your mobile phone. There are numerous opportunities to walk a little further each day.
Of course, if you’re slipping walking into your day in short bursts as described above, it can be difficult to keep track of your progress. A pedometer may prove to be a good investment. It will record your results in terms of the number of steps taken, the total distance covered or the number of calories burned. This can help to keep your motivation up.
You could also consider getting a cheap mp3 player. You will find that the time and the miles just fly by when you’re listening to your favourite music.
Another recent development which you could use to your advantage is toning shoes. Brands like Skechers Shape Ups Shoes, Fit Flops sandals and Reebok Easy Tones all use special soles that increase the amount of work that your lower body muscles perform while walking. This can help you tone and trim your lower body – just by walking.
So, if you want to shed a few pounds, then walking to lose weight is a very good solution. It will also deliver a number of other health benefits (which can be even more important than weight loss).