While the threats associated with being overweight include heart disease and diabetes, walking represents a simple and convenient method to melt away unwanted fat and improve your future health. The foot exercise is safe for most people, although The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library reports that walking at a slow pace is unlikely to produce significant results on the scale. Understand how fast--and how often--you'll need to walk in order to develop the body you desire.
The Basics of Weight Loss
Although numerous online resources suggest exercise isn't needed to lose weight and that you can downsize quickly by purchasing herbal supplements, the truth is that to gain a better body, you'll usually have to burn more calories daily than you take in during meals. A pound contains roughly 3,500 calories. People who lose 1 lb. weekly typically burn 500 more calories each day of the week than they consume. Your body burns calories even when you move slowly or remain sedentary. Most people even use 90 calories per hour when sleeping, but significant weight loss requires both nutritious eating and moving fast enough to burn larger numbers of calories.
Walking for Results
People who desire weight loss should aim for a minimum of two hours and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at a moderate pace weekly, according to MayoClinic.com. Walking at a moderate pace requires moving fast enough so that both your breathing and heart rate accelerate. The speed of your walk plays a key role in how fast you downsize. A person with a weight of 200 lbs. typically burns 228 calories when walking for 60 minutes at a rate of 2 miles per hour, although the same person may burn around 346 calories by increasing her pace to walk 3.5 miles each hour.
Boosting Your Foot Workout
You'll walk faster--and burn a greater number of calories--by making small tweaks to your routine. Consider taking longer steps by swiveling your hips from the right to the left, which allows your feet to extend farther forward. Ensure that as you swivel, your toes point straight rather than outward. Moving your arms quickly also boosts your foot speed, so maintain bent elbows in order to both shorten your swing and decrease the time it takes for your arm to move back and forth from your shoulder. Walking up stairs typically burns up to twice as many calories as a normal walk, although a stair workout poses risks to people with orthopedic problems and other health conditions.
From Start to Finish
Unexpected injuries that sabotage a healthy walk can force you to delay your workout--and lose the potential calorie-burning benefits. Meet with your doctor before taking your first steps and wear shoes that have firm heels, sufficient arch support, and flexible soles that are thick and provide cushioning for your feet. Start slowly if you haven't exercised in the past and consider shorter walks until you can gradually progress to 30 minutes or more.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Walking: Trim Your Waistline, Improve Your Health; December 2010
- Cleveland Clinic: What Is the Best Type of Aerobic Exercise?
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise or Weight Loss: Calories Burned In 1 Hour; December 2009
- Harvard Medical School; Walking Your Steps to Health; August 2009
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Home Edition; Choosing the Right Exercise; September 2007
- President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition: Exercise and Weight Control
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