Did you know that 7500 steps of brisk walking per day are all it takes to prevent many health issues? That’s about 30-minutes a day. As a matter of fact, brisk walking has numerous health benefits.
According to WHO (World Health Organisation), approximately 2 million deaths per year are caused by physical inactivity. Some of the health problems are diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression.
Many of us struggle with extra weight and difficulty to burn fat at some point in our lives. Walking helps with that too. How much you can burn depends on your individual chemistry and metabolism but it stands to reason that the more you walk, the more you lose.
Brisk Walking For Weight Loss
Some studies confirm weight loss success is more likely if you have a support group. Either a walking club or a friend to accompany you helps giver you the motivation to get up and out.
Morning is a good time to go walking. Shortly after waking up, your body is in a calorie deficit and ignites fat-burning. Brisk walking burns even more calories. Walk as if you’re rushing between connecting flight at the airport.
If you’re walking briskly at 3.5 miles per hour, your fat-burn rate is about 300 calories per hour. If you walk only 30 minutes per day, you’ll be burning off 1050 calories by the end of the week.
By varying your walking speed, you can burn up to 20% more calories. An Ohio State University study proved that varying walking speed increases calories burned.
Walking pace can be increased by either lengthening your stride or by quickening your stride. Most experts think it’s better to quicken your stride because lengthening can increase strain on your legs and feet.
As well, varying the surface you’re walking on will help burn more calories. Try walking on grass, sand, or gravel, as well as smooth pavement.
Walking Workout
Using trekking poles while walking will enhance your upper-body workout. It reduces the stress on your knees and works out the muscles of your chest, arms and abs at the same time.
If you’re not into brisk walking, try walking backwards. This method uses different leg muscles and also helps rehabilitate after a knee injury.
Oh, and a post-walking workout tip: drink plenty of water or green tea and snack on almonds (even during your brisk walk if you get hungry).
Nothing is easy at first because it’s not a part of your daily routine. Motivation is what gets you started, and habits are what keep you going. Doing more incidental walking is another idea.
Don’t starve yourself after physical activity as it’s important to refuel your body immediately after brisk walking. Try not to eat more than you’ve just burned either.
Finally, brisk walking de-stresses you. That’s good news for achieving your weight loss goals as stress causes the body to slow down the metabolism and make us crave fatty and sugary foods. Because walking reduces stress, you won’t be as tempted to stress-eat as often.
