It's one of the simplest exercises to perform and, except for a good pair of walking shoes, doesn't cost a dime. You can walk in many ways--a stroll, a leisurely walk to your car or a brisk walk around the block. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, and brisk walking is a good place to start. Although all methods are good exercise, not all forms of walking bring the benefits of weight loss without a specific plan.
Types of Walking
General walking is what we do every day--walking to our car and grocery shopping, for example. Brisk walking is adding a little more gusto to your stride, and power walking is walking very quickly and getting your heart rate up. Brisk walking and power walking burn more calories and help you lose weight. However, once you master power walking, you can opt for interval training in your walking exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, "in order to boost calorie-burning power,you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular brisk walks. If you're less fit, you might alternate leisurely walking with periods of faster walking," such as walking faster between certain mailboxes, trees or other landmarks.
Geography
Walking can be done anywhere--in your neighborhood, indoors on a treadmill, at a shopping mall, at the park or at a school track. This makes it an ideal exercise.
Benefits
Walking benefits the mind and body. As a cardiovascular exercise, it gets blood pumping from your heart to the muscle tissues of your body. It helps stimulate the mind and promotes the production of endorphins, "feel-good" hormones that improve your mood. With power walking and interval training, your lung capacity increases and your endurance improves. Walking regularly helps you lose weight as you burn calories.
Considerations
If you prefer walking outdoors, have a backup plan in the event the elements keep you from your exercise. It's easy to get derailed from your routine once something knocks you off track. Plan to go to the gym or walk on your treadmill at home. If your goal is to lose weight through walking, make sure you walk at least 30 to 60 minutes per day, five days per week, for best results. Once you reach your goal weight, you can cut back to a maintenance workout program. Exercise is only one part of a weight-loss program. Adopting a healthy eating plan complements your efforts and helps you achieve your goals faster.
Warning
Be careful of the areas you choose to walk, and when. Walking on a busy street during rush-hour traffic isn't the safest choice. If you walk in the evenings, bring a flashlight and a buddy with you. Start your walk at a slow pace for the first five minutes in order to warm up the muscles, then bring up the pace, followed by a cool-down at the end of another five minutes.
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