Walking can be a fun, effective, and healthy way to start increasing your level of physical activity and to shed those extra pounds. It is a relaxing activity and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It makes an excellent choice for obese people if they want to start their weight-loss journey without overwhelming themselves initially. It does not stress your body as much as vigorous exercise does but can promote weight loss if you follow the right techniques.
1. Choose The Right Equipment
The most important thing you should take care of before you start walking for weight loss is buying the right kind of shoes. Proper walking shoes will have the right kind of arches that support your feet to engage in the right kind of motion when walking. They will provide your sole and ankles with the proper protection needed so that you do not injure yourself. Remember, safety first.
2. Land On Your Heels
If you want to derive maximum benefit from walking, you should first know how to step. The way your foot lands determines the efficiency of your walk. Your foot should hit the ground heel first and not toe first. Landing heel first will increase the amount your Achilles tendon stretches. After landing on your heels, roll your sole on the ground till your toes and slightly push off from the ground.
3. Walk Faster Not Longer
It’s not about how long you walk but how fast you walk. Strolling slowly and casually for a long distance will only tire you out and will not burn enough calories. Increasing your pace will increase the number of calories you burn per mile and will be much more effective.
4. Take Shorter Strides
You tend to walk faster when you take shorter strides. Taking long strides will slow you down and will hamper your fat burn. Always stick to effective short strides if you want to lose the flab.
5. Walk On Inclines
It is beneficial to add some gradient when you walk. The effort you put in when you walk at an incline is much greater than the effort you put when you walk on a flat path, hence, you will burn more calories. Just remember to keep your pace even as you might tend to slow down on inclines.
6. Use Your Arms
When walking, keep your arms close to your body, bend them at 90 degrees, and swing them back and forth. Vigorously swinging your arms will utilize more muscles and will help you burn more calories.
7. Keep Your Back Straight
Maintain a good posture while walking. Keep Your back straight and your shoulders back. Your gluts and back muscles have to work extra when your back is straight and will be more effective than slouching while walking.
8. Do Some Lunges At Intervals
You can amp up the number of calories you burn by doing some lunges when walking. You can walk for 5 minutes and then do some lunges for 30 seconds and continue your walk. Lunges utilize a large group of lower back muscles and is a great way to tone your lower body.
9. Make It Fun
If you want to continue losing weight while walking, it is important to make it fun. It’s human nature to stop continuing the activities that we do not find pleasurable. Choose an upbeat playlist and try different routes to keep the excitement going. You can even get a walking partner to keep you motivated.
Only walking is not enough to walk to lose a great deal of weight. You need to eat balanced meals, drink plenty of water, and stay away from junk foods if you really want to lose that flab.
