With all the hype about different fad diets, with all the new trendy exercise programs and routines, with all the reality TV shows about chunky participants sweating it out for the world to see, it’s clear why so many people — us women especially — want to lose weight.
When we think of losing weight, we usually think of weight loss supplements, dieting, counting calories and hitting the gym for hours (and hours… and hours).
But the reality is that while many of us will think about losing weight, many of us won’t actually do anything about losing weight. Our lives are busy. Gym memberships are expensive. And sometimes, we just don’t feel like exercising. But there’s good news: Losing weight is simple.
Losing Weight Is as Simple as Taking a Walk
Walking to lose weight is not a fast method of weight loss. However, it is very effective, and it comes with great health benefits. By taking an hour long walk at least five times a week, at a pace of about 2-4 miles per hour, you can burn enough calories and build muscle to begin losing weight. The faster your pace, the more calories you burn. So if you’re walking at about two miles per hour, a fairly leisurely pace, you will burn an average of 79 calories in 30 minutes. If you up your speed to about three miles per hour, the calories burned in a thirty minute period is doubled.
The best approach for walking to shed extra pounds is to start off at a pace you’re comfortable with, around two miles per hour. Once you’re comfortable at that pace, you can begin walking at a faster rate. To increase the heart rate and boost the metabolism, you can insert a few minutes of walking very fast every so often into your normal pace. This will help build muscles and burn off extra calories and stored fat more quickly. You can use a pedometer to help track your speed and distance, or if you have a smartphone, you can download one of the many free applications that track it for you. Some applications even track how many calories you’re burning.
One of the weight loss tips that we’ve all heard is to diet or exercise with a friend. While it may sound like old news, it’s true: Having someone to work out with can help you stay on target and walk that weight off. And it helps pass the time! Even if you don’t bring someone on board, spending 30-60 minutes a day walking is going to show results, especially when paired with a healthy diet.
Don’t Fall for Fad Diets
Quick weight loss is not something that is common or generally even effective. While some fad diets or weight loss supplements may help a person to lose weight quickly, once she returns to her old eating habits, odds are the pounds will pile back on. While most of us would rather have the results from quick weight loss, most of us probably want to keep our new, slimmer bodies. In order to do this, a healthy diet is essential. This doesn’t necessarily mean cutting back or counting calories, though you can count calories if you’d like. This simply means eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and keeping sugar, whether it’s in your morning cup of coffee or in that afternoon can of soda, at a minimum.
One of the most important weight loss tips that we can offer is to take some time and really look at your lifestyle. Write down everything that you eat or drink and any exercise you do for a week. From there, determine what it is you need to do to be healthy. Maybe that’s losing some weight, eating more fruit or cutting back on the coffee or alcohol. What’s important is making a healthy lifestyle a habit, and one that you can live with. Taking a brisk walk with a friend every day after work can be a great way to unwind and lose those extra pounds. But having that strong foundation of a healthy lifestyle is essential toward losing weight and then keeping it off. Walking to lose weight is effective, and it’s not difficult. So lace up your tennis shoes, grab your spouse, partner, or friend, and start walking!
