Lose Weight, Start Walking!

Many people say they don’t have time to exercise. But we overlook one of the most convenient, basic forms of exercising-walking. Walking is available to everyone and doesn’t require any financial outlay for expensive gear or instructors. Walking is good for individuals at all levels and can be started as low impact and increased to a high calorie burning “power walk”. Walking can also be done in short time frames, such as ten minute intervals-three or more times per day. Walking can also be done outdoors as well as indoors during bad weather.

Coupled with a decrease in calorie intake, walking can assist in weight loss. “The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. Because 3,500 calories equals about one pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose one pound of fatty tissue. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you’d lose about one pound a week (500 calories x 7 days=3,500 calories)”.

“If you add thirty minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. At that rate you’d lose another 1/3 of a pound a week. The more you walk, the quicker your pace, the more calories you’ll burn. Aim to walk 3 to 4 miles per hour. You can gradually build up that pace if necessary”. Source: Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

There are a number of different health benefits to walking. A routine walking regime:

Helps keep bones and joints strong

Reduces stiffness, aches and joint pains

Lowers blood pressure

Improves mood

Helps build up the immune system

Boosts energy

Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes

Lowers LDL (“bad” cholesterol) while raising HDL (“good” cholesterol)

But most important, walking can be an effective tool for weight loss and weight management! So get off that couch, turn off the TV and computer and start walking!!!!!