How to Walk Your Way to Weight Loss

If you are trying to lose weight, walking should be the obvious part of your routine since it stimulates the metabolism and helps build lean muscle mass.

Muscles burn fat, so we need to keep it in tone to burn the excess calories we eat. Sitting idle and not eating at all really does have the reverse effect.

I was recently told by an MD that 4mph is the optimum rate for shedding the pounds. If you can't get a pedometer, try counting 135 steps per minute as the equivalent. Be certain to use your arms too, many forget this factor. Bend them at around 90 degrees and move them back ad forth as you go to maintain a steady breathing pattern and also improve shoulder and arm strength.
Another point to note; since our core muscles become stronger when we walk, you will appear to have lost weight anyway due to having better posture. The actual weight loss is merely the added bonus.

Walking With Weights:

If you're like me you have read much on the the many weight loss aids one can use when walking. These items can turn to major expense and also injury if not used correctly. One of the methods I employ when walking in the colder weather is to load 2 of my coat pockets with small soup cans. One each side distributes the weight evenly so as not to cause injury, and has the added benefits otherwise obtained from wearing wristbands or a walking vest. There are also ankle bands and small dumbbells, but again, why spend money unnecessarily?

Keeping Your Motivation:

Where possible, walk with friends or a family member. It can help pass the time if you chat while you walk, and it also helps to measure your activity levels. That is, if you can walk and keep a conversation flowing without puffing too hard, you know you are maintaining a consistent pace. Once this becomes easier, you may wish to step it up a notch.

-Take your dog for a walk. He or she will love you for it and you have the added protection.

-I do not feel comfortable listening to a CD when walking, you may. As a pedestrian there are the traffic dangers to consider.

-Take a voice recorder with you. As you walk along and observe different things you will get inspiration do different things, like writing a new article. You may have forgotten to add something to your shopping list and writing it on a notepad would only serve to take your attention away from the traffic. Not a good idea. If you don't have a voice recorder, don't buy one, check your cellphone for this function.

-Try counting as you walk. If you take the same route each day, you will know how far it is to the next corner if you set a rhythmic pattern. When I began to do this I thought as my fitness level increased I would reach the next corner before my usual count. This didn't happen however, it seems the counting serves to maintain the pace so it stayed almost the same each time I went walking. See for yourself. I had two choices here since I was more fit than before, add an extra block to my walk or speed up my pace. This depended on my schedule for the day of course, but either way I was better off.

If counting distracts you, use your cellphone since even the cheapest models have a stop-watch inbuilt.