Walking is a simple and effective way to lose weight if you’re dedicated to doing it regularly. It does not require expensive gym memberships or fancy equipment. You just need to be motivated enough to get you butt off the couch, put on your sneakers, and hit the pavement. While there is no extraordinary science or technique involved in walking, here are a few tips to make the most of your daily walking routine.
1. Choose The Right Shoes
Walking essentially an equipment free exercise but the one thing you need to invest is a good pair of shoes that are meant for walking. These shoes have flexible soles and stiff heel counters to prevent side-to-side motion.
2. Make A Walking Playlist
If you love music, you’ll find that walking an music are a great combination. Having a great soundtrack can completely elevate your walking experience. The right music can also motivate you to push harder and go farther. Look for songs that are between 75 to 130 BPM—these tempos will help you synchronize your strut.
3. Know Your Route
When you’re walking, you’d rather focus more on the experience than worry about tripping or taking the wrong turn. So it’s always good to have a clear idea of where you’ll be walking. You’ll also feel more comfortable and confident on a familiar route. So plan a handful of routes that vary in length, grade, and terrain.
4. Get A Walking Buddy
There are many studies which confirm that having a strong support group is vital to achieving and maintaining weight loss success. So talk to your friends and family members to join you for your daily walk. It’s a great way to spend some quality time while both of you get fit.
5. Prepare For The Weather
You don’t want to cut your walk short because it got too windy or cold. So stay updated with the weather forecast and prepare yourself accordingly. During a heat wave, walk before the sun gets too high in the sky, during a cold snap, do the opposite. It’s up to you to make that walk happen every day that you can.
6. Walk Before Breakfast
The best strategy for lowering body fat percentage is to get your walk soon after waking up. Because the last meal you had was last night, your body is already in a calorie deficit. Walking in this condition will ignite your body’s fat-burning ability. You glycogen levels are depleted during sleep and your body will start burning the fat reserves.
7. Walk Briskly
Walking briskly helps your burn more calories. If you’re 150 pounds walking briskly will burn around 300 calories every 60 minutes. If you can fit in 30 minutes of brisk walking on a flat surface every day, you’ll have burned off 1,050 calories by the end of the week. Studies show that this sort of weekly calorie expenditure helps protect against heart disease.
8. Try Different Routes
Keep things interesting by trying different routes and also try to experiment with your walk speed. See if you can add a few inclines to your route. Also, try out different terrains; walking on grass or gravel burns more calories than walking on a track while walking on soft sand increases caloric expenditure by almost 50 percent.
9. Track Your Progress
If you don’t measure it, you can’t better it. If you’re serious about your weight loss goals, it might make sense to invest in a pedometer. Not only will it help you find out how many strides you’re clocking, it will motivate you to do better. You can also compare your progress with other walkers if you like a bit of competition.
10. Snack On Almonds
If you tend to get hungry mid-walk or feel dizzy, bring a small bag of almonds on your walk. A 2003 study demonstrated that a low-calorie diet that is rich in almonds could help increase weight loss. Not only do the good monounsaturated fats in almonds have an effect on insulin levels but also give dieters a full feeling.
11. Swing Your Arms
It might look awkward to you but vigorous arm pumping not only speeds your pace, it also provides a good upper body workout. An arm swinging walking style will cause you to burn 5 to 10 percent more calories. Make sure to bend your arms at 90 degrees and pump from the shoulder.
12. Don’t Starve Yourself
Nutritionists and health experts say that pre- and post-workout nutrition are the two most important meals of your day. It’s important to refuel your body immediately after a workout or brisk walk because it helps replenish glycogen levels, decrease protein breakdown, and increase protein synthesis and the ability to build muscle.
