Walking is an aerobic exercise that helps to strengthen your heart and lungs and burn calories. A minimum of 30 minutes per week of aerobic exercise is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. Other benefits of walking include a positive effect on your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This low-impact activity is one that any ambulatory person can participate in. Comfortable footwear and motivation are all you need to get started.
Walking Burns Calories
Dr. Dan Carey, an assistant professor of exercise and physiology at the University of St. Thomas, told the New York Times that walking at an easy pace will burn up to four calories more per minute than you would when sitting down. One of the goals when trying to lose weight is to use up fat calories and walking will help you accomplish that.
How Much Walking is Enough?
A 2004 report in "Sports Medicine" by C. Tudor-Locke evaluated the number of steps per day being used as benchmarks of acceptable physical activity levels. The study recorded the following classifications for adults: If you walk less than 5,000 steps per day, you are sedentary; 5,000 to 7,499 steps per day is average for most people going about daily business, does not include sports or exercise and may be considered in the "low-active" range; 7,500 to 9,999 is considered "somewhat active" and likely includes some form of exercise; if you hit 10,000 steps or more per day, you fall into the "active" range, and more than 12,500 steps per day makes you "highly active." The researchers noted that these numbers may not apply to children or adults suffering from chronic illnesses. When you walk to lose weight, the number of steps count. Your aim is to start slowly and build up to the active range.
Walking and Body Composition
"Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" published a study in May 2004 by D. Thomson that reported the effect of walking on body composition. Eighty women took part in the study and each wore a pedometer, a device that counts the number of steps taken, each day for seven days. The results showed that the women who walked more achieved significantly lower percentage of body fat than those who took fewer steps. Walking will help you lose weight, but you must walk enough for it to be effective.
Walking Safely
Walking your way to fitness and a healthy weight requires very little preparation, but the staff of the Mayo Clinic offers some advice on how to walk safely: Start with a five-minute warm-up; stretch your calf muscles, quadriceps, hamstring and sides after warm-up; start slow, going only as far and fast as is comfortable; record how many steps you take, how far you walk and how long it takes; be realistic in setting goals; stay motivated and have fun. The staff attests that walking until you hurt is not necessary; regular, brisk walking will help you reap the benefits of walking, one of which is weight loss.
References
- "New York Times": Why Doesn't Exercise Lead to Weight Loss
- "Sports Medicine": How Many Steps/Day are Enough?; C. Tudor-Locke; 2004
- "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise": Walking and Body Composition; D. Thompson; May 2004
- MayoClinic.com: Walking: Trim Your Waistline
- American College of Sports Medicine: Walking for Health; D. Thompson; 2006
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