Why walking is an excellent way to lose weight
At first glance, walking might not seem that appealing, as it is so simple and falls into the category of low-impact exercises. While running, jogging, or other high-intensity exercises do burn off more calories faster, there are several factors that, when combined with the right amount of walking, will amplify much more than most will expect.
According to gender, age, and heredity, an hour of moderately paced walking at a speed of around 3.5 miles per hour would burn about 200 calories. Of course, the more calories expended during a stroll, the longer and faster it is. It is advised to walk for more than thirty minutes five days a week in order to lose weight by walking. But you can truly see how successful it is by walking an hour each day, five to six days a week, at a moderate pace. Even though exercise is crucial, walking by itself won’t help you lose weight. One might anticipate observing improvements in their body quite rapidly when they combine a nutritious diet with additional exercises (Corleone, 2022).
How does weight loss work?
Adipocytes, the cells that store fat, hold extra calories when there are more calories consumed than are burned. They are designed to store energy for later use, but if they aren’t treated in a timely manner, they can make a person appear bigger and contribute to obesity (Prologo, 2018).
Despite being obvious, weight loss occurs when the body burns more calories than it consumes. Adults typically consume 2000 to 2500 calories each day to keep their bodies in peak shape. However, it might be difficult to burn 2000 calories in a single day, which is why many create diet regimens (Thomas, 2019).
Benefits of walking every day
- Walking for an hour will cover more than three to four miles even at a moderate pace, making it an excellent approach to achieving basic fitness levels without putting too much stress on the body.
- Walking regularly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease because it raises one’s V02 max, also known as oxygenation capacity.
- Depending on how vigorously and quickly people walk, their hamstrings, glutes, calves, quads, and even core muscles vary to a certain extent.
- Although it does not seem like much, walking is a form of aerobic exercise and has the qualities of reducing blood pressure, increasing HDL, also known as “good” cholesterol, and reducing LDL, “bad” cholesterol. It can also reduce blood sugar levels, which helps to prevent weight gain and assists in losing them.
- Situations could be alleviated by walking for chronic pain, such as low back pain.
- Walking, like almost every other form of exercise, can reduce anxiety and stress levels, improve mood and feelings of wellbeing, etc. A unique effect of walking, however, is that it can improve executive and cognitive functioning, focus, and overall energy levels (Sayer, 2022).
Why walking is the key to calorie deficits
When someone burns more calories than they consume, they are in a calorie deficit. About 3500 calories must be lost in order to lose one pound of weight. The normal adult burns roughly 1800 calories without even trying thanks to activities like sitting, standing, and even sleeping, together with automatic actions like breathing or even body temperature control. (Kahn, 2022). According to extreme diets, humans should consume between 500 and 1000 calories daily (Sadhukhan, 2023). Some people may be able to resist this, but most people may occasionally need food. This is where walking comes in, helping you burn off those additional calories (Walsh, 2023).
How to exercise while walking
- Walking while alternating between speeding up and slowing down produced more significant outcomes. Walk for a minute at your quickest speed, then two minutes at a moderate pace to rest.
- A very easy way to combine a core workout with cardiovascular activity is to walk while striking with your heels rather than your toes and squeezing your glutes inward.
- When they are not quite pleased with ordinary walking, they can perform walking lunges for another block. Another excellent approach to increasing your activity is to perform shoulder-blade squeezes without moving your arms (Mansour, 2020).
References
Corleone, J. (2022). How Much Should You Walk to Lose Weight? [online] Verywell Fit. Available at: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-long-should-you-walk-to-lose-weight-3432706 [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Kahn, J. (2022). Do You Burn Calories When You Sleep? Here’s How To Burn More. [online] www.risescience.com. Available at: https://www.risescience.com/blog/do-you-burn-calories-when-you-sleep [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Mansour, S. (2020). 5 ways to supersize your walk and turn it into a workout. [online] CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/06/health/exercise-fitness-walking-workout-quarantine-coronavirus-wellness/index.html [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Prologo, D. (2018). How does your body ‘burn’ fat? [online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-does-your-body-burn-fat-97813 [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Sadhukhan, P. (2023). The 500 Calorie Diet – A Day Meal Plan For Weight Loss. [online] STYLECRAZE. Available at: https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/calorie-diet-plan-for-weight-loss-include-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner/ [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Sayer, A. (2022). Walking An Hour A Day: Here Are 8 Benefits + Changes To Expect. [online] MARATHON HANDBOOK. Available at: https://marathonhandbook.com/walking-an-hour-a-day/ [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Thomas, L. (2019). How Many Calories Should You Eat Per Day? [online] News-Medical.net. Available at: https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-Many-Calories-Should-You-Eat-Per-Day.aspx [Accessed 3 September 2023].
Walsh, G. (2023). How to lose weight: how many calories should I eat to lose weight? [online] GoodtoKnow. Available at: https://www.goodto.com/wellbeing/diets-exercise/what-is-calorie-how-many-lose-weigt-425557 [Accessed 3 September 2023].
