Fitness Mythbusters: Part I

Truth: Let's face it. Any exercise is a great way to get healthy and toned. But when we look at all those magazines claiming to drop weight in just 10 weeks by walking, we believe it and buy the magazine! Is walking for the minimum of 20-30 minutes each day enough to change our shape and get the body we want?

Most fitness experts will say, walking 20-30 minutes a day each week is a great way to shed the pounds and become toned all over the body. While that it partly true, a fitness myth is that all we need to do is that walk and within a decent amount of time we will get the body we are looking for. Walking is great for stretching the leg muscles, giving the heart and lungs an energizing workout, and it's a perfect low-impact activity that sheds pounds while not being too invigorating. But that's the problem. In order to lose weight, the body needs to exercise a little more than just walking in order to promote a change in the body. Those who are looking for a large amount of weight loss benefit from starting slow, and walking until they are able to build up a faster pace and start a more invigorating workout.

That's not to say that those who are walking are not doing something healthy for their body, because of course they are! But those who are looking for dramatic weight loss are not going to find it by walking, but rather a more intense cardiovascular routine such as jogging, biking, gym equipment like the elliptical or treadmill and even swimming. In addition to a more intense workout, dietary changes need to be made and even weight lifting should be incorporated to promote weight loss and muscle gain. With increased muscle mass, the body burns calories more efficiently which reduce weight naturally.

It is better to get little activity than none at all, however this myth is one that people follow to no avail, wondering where their weight loss is and when it will occur. For those who are only able to walk due to physical limitations, walking at a faster pace brings some weight loss results, so increasing the pace gradually is a great way to move on to more intense cardio activities. Doing walking in intervals is also a great way to boost the metabolism, by doing a certain amount of minutes walking at a fast pace, and then sprinting and so forth.

So, keep in mind that walking is a great activity but in order to lose a decent amount of weight, dietary changes, weight lifting and cardio activity should all be done at the same time to make the most of it!