Walking, or rather the very natural “walking gesture of human movement”, is a “desirable” physical-motor activity at low intensity and high volume, of a recreational-amateur type, among the most widespread in the world.
As such, 3 main functions are essentially attributed to walking: increasing energy consumption – useful for weight control, therefore to maintain it or to lose weight – train the body
- from an aerobic point of view
- and reduce psychological stress.
- to increase the above benefit, you can also decide to practice meditative walking.
Note: to lose weight, any activity must be associated with an adequate diet. Otherwise, it is not possible to create the negative balance necessary to dispose of adipose fats.
That said, to lose weight by walking we have put together these 15 ways and in this article, we will focus above all on the most common function of walking, namely weight loss.
Being a very common practice, based on a “spontaneous” gesture, it is difficult to believe that talking about walking can be misunderstood or misinterpreted with other similar activities. In reality, especially in common language, walking can also be understood as a rather different practice.
Walking VS similar activities
Often more specific or different activities are generally defined as “walking” such as brisk walking, walking, Nordic walking, trekking, and simple walks.
It must be said that, unlike related activities or sports properly called such as running, walking, jogging, jogging, etc., walking is considered a more natural gesture, technically less “demanding” and physically less ” impacting “; this does not mean that it does not require appropriate footwear and, possibly, suitable clothing.
For this reason, most coaches and personal trainers suggest walking especially to those who are unfamiliar with athletic gestures proper or to those in conditions of greater susceptibility – post-injury rehabilitation, presence of paramorphism or dysmorphisms that can aggravate with running, osteoporosis prevention, large obese, etc.
How to lose weight the healthy way?
When people try to lose weight, they usually focus on one or the other. Some people try a strict diet and think that is the only way to lose weight. Others try working out for hours every day and think that is the only way to lose weight. The truth is, you need both a healthy diet and regular exercise in order to lose weight.
Walking to lose weight is an effective strategy for those who want to lose weight. In addition to losing weight, walking brings great mental health benefits.
If you haven’t tried walking to lose weight yet, why not give it a try?
The advantages of walking for those who want to lose weight
Anyone can lose weight by walking! It’s a great way to not regain weight once you’ve lost it because unlike a lightning-fast diet or high-intensity exercise plan, it allows you to keep going over time. All you need is a pair of comfortable running or walking shoes, and the right clothing.
How to lose weight by walking?
Walking to lose weight is easier than you think. Start by estimating how much you already walk or do physical activity, and then try to add half an hour of walking per day. If you want to start running and are overweight, here are some tips for you
Can you lose weight while walking?
Yes, walking to lose weight works. Going at a moderate pace for a prolonged time leads to fat burning. When you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.
For example, you could stick with your current diet and walk an extra 30 minutes each day. By doing so, you will likely start losing weight at some point.
However, if you are trying to lose weight, you should probably reconsider your diet as well. There is a real possibility that the need to lose weight stems from an excessive calorie intake.
The good news is that by combining walking and a reduced calorie intake, you will lose weight faster. Find out more about how to lose weight the healthy way.
It is not easy, especially at the beginning, but if you know how to persevere, the results will come!
How many steps do you take each day to lose weight?
The short answer is: more than usual. 10,000 steps equal approximately 2000-3500 calories (between a quarter and a half kilo of weight). If you add another 10,000 steps a day (about an hour and a half of walking) you will lose about a quarter of an extra pound a week simply by walking.
If you are starting to exercise now, 10,000 steps may seem like too much. No problem. Start with 1000 extra steps a day and add a little at a time, giving your body a chance to get used to it.
Go slow and be patient: you don’t become overweight in a single day, and a day isn’t enough to lose weight while walking.
How far do I have to walk to lose weight?
The short answer is more than you walk right now. You should walk at least 30 minutes a day, but if you can’t start with 10. There is no maximum limit, apart from the amount of free time you have available and the ability your body has to handle physical activity.
If you don’t have enough free time for a long walk, you can always divide your daily physical activity into shorter fractions. Instead of one hour in a row, you can do two sessions of half an hour each.
Any excuse is good for walking: park the car farther away or walk directly instead of taking the car or vehicles; invite a friend or a friend for a walk, or if you have a dog, take the opportunity to walk together.
It doesn’t matter where, how, or why – just walk!
How to lose weight by walking?
Walking to lose weight is easier than you think. Start by estimating how much you already walk or do physical activity, and then try to add half an hour of walking per day. If you want to start running and are overweight, here are some tips for you
Where to walk to lose weight?
Walking in parks or other green spaces has great mental health benefits. People who walk in the open air report higher self-esteem and a better mood, and also report that “feelings of anger, depression, tension, and confusion decrease markedly, while vigor increases”. Try walking in green areas such as parks, trails, mountains, and beaches.
Yes, walking burns fat, but also carbohydrates and proteins. In the first few minutes of walking you burn mostly carbohydrates. After about half an hour, your body begins to prioritize fats.
Race vs. walking: which burns the most calories?
The answer isn’t very simple, but in general, running burns more calories than walking. However, you can walk longer than you can run, and eventually, the calories burned can turn out to be more. If running damages your joints, you have all the more reason to walk. Once you’ve built a good foundation with walking, you can also try running.
Is walking the fastest way to lose weight?
No. But it is one of the most sustainable activities for the body and easy to carry out over time. If you want to stay healthy and lose weight, you need to be committed and have patience. Avoid shortcuts and false promises, and start walking.
Enter body-weight exercises
Those who from time to time integrate body-weight exercises into their walks, obtain a double result. Thanks to these mini-workouts you burn more calories and at the same time enjoy the effect of post-combustion. This effect guarantees high-calorie consumption and contributes to weight loss after intensive sports sessions even when you are already sitting at your desk again – really practical, isn’t it?
Suitable bodyweight exercises during walking are, for example, lunges, different variations of squats, or burpees.
Together we walk better
As with all things that are supposed to have a long-term effect, even for walks, the rule applies that the more you do them regularly, the greater the effects! Ideally you should therefore exercise five times a week for at least 30 minutes.
This, incidentally, is also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which advises adults to incorporate moderate activity into their daily routine for a total of 150-300 minutes per week. Not only to lose weight but also to strengthen the cardiovascular system. A double advantage, therefore.
In order not to lose motivation and overcome your laziness, you can also resort to external help. For example, you can ask a friend to accompany you regularly (among other things, making a regular appointment makes it even more difficult to cancel), or you can listen to your favorite playlist, interesting podcasts, or audiobooks. Anything is fine, as long as it is good for you and motivates you to keep walking!
What pace should you keep to lose weight by walking?
Maybe we think that to lose weight and shape our figure we have to walk or run until we are exhausted. But the reality is, you don’t have to try so hard. As experts tell us, fat is reduced when the effort is moderate and regular. To eliminate fat, the body needs oxygen which is absorbed by the air we breathe.
However, the body can only ingest an amount of oxygen during moderate exertion. In this case we speak of aerobic training. If we went up at full speed on a ladder, the existing oxygen would run out after a short time. Thus, the muscle begins to work anaerobically, that is, without oxygen. For this reason, carbohydrates are eliminated in the form of glucose, but not fat. What should we do then to burn fat?
The most important rule of thumb is this: The correct pace for running or walking is achieved if we are able to carry on a conversation without panting. Therefore, if you want to lose weight while walking, pick up the pace, but avoid running out of breath (and words).
Wear the right sports gear
Clothing must be comfortable and suitable for the weather conditions. If it rains, you can wear a lightweight, breathable raincoat. Footwear is also very important. Ideally, you should wear sneakers with thin, cushioned soles so you can slide your foot from heel to toe better.
