The Mayo Clinic recommends doing daily cardiovascular exercise to lose excess belly fat. Walking is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise that requires no equipment except for a good pair of walking shoes. Combining cardiovascular exercise with strength training and a healthy diet will help you shrink that extra bulge in your tummy area. Modify your walking difficulty by adding hills and short periods of jogging as your fitness level increases.
Step 1
Purchase walking or running shoes and athletic clothing that wick off sweat to keep you comfortable while walking.
Step 2
Begin walking at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes to warm up your muscles. Stay at a pace that will allow you to carry on a conversation without running out of breath.
Step 3
Stop walking and stretch after the warm up. Include a calf stretch, side stretch, hamstring stretch and quadriceps stretch to target all the muscles in your legs. Hold the stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds.
Step 4
Begin walking at a fast pace in which you are unable to hold an easy conversation. Verify your heart rate every 10 minutes to make sure you are reaching your target heart rate for the best results toward burning calories and shrinking belly fat.
Step 5
Walk for a minimum of 30 minutes at your target heart rate. Increase the walk time 5 to 10 minutes each week until you reach 60 minutes.
Step 6
Slow your walking pace after completing the 30 to 60 minute fast pace. Walk at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes to cool down the muscles.
Step 7
Stretch the muscles after the cool down, making sure to include a calf stretch, side stretch, hamstring stretch and quadriceps stretch to target all the muscles in your legs. Hold the stretches for at least 30 seconds each.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult with your doctor prior to starting a walking program to lose belly fat and ask him to recommended target heart rate for you. Wear a heart rate monitor while walking or check your heart rate periodically by manually counting the pulse beats.
Things You'll Need
- Walking shoes
- Watch or stopwatch
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