8 tips to follow when walking to lose weight

Of woman’s day

In the last few years walking and staying active have honestly become all the rage. Taking a certain number of steps during the day and the challenges of walking in business have helped improve daily physical activity. In fact, the US Department of Health and Human Services advises adults to move more and sit less throughout the day and insists that physical activity is better than nothing. If you are trying to manage your weight, walking can be a useful weight management tool. Here’s everything you need to know about walking to lose weight, including our tips and tricks for maximizing your stride.

Benefits of walking

Research continues to show that regular exercise in general is beneficial for your health, but walking itself has several benefits, including:

• Improve heart health: We know heart disease is the leading killer in the United States, so keeping our hearts in mind should be a priority. Research suggests that walking can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and also improve longevity.

• Promote mental health: Taking care of yourself, mind and body is very important for well-being and holistic health. Walking regularly can improve a person’s cognition and help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

• Fight obesity: Obesity exposes us to several chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and even certain cancers. Research shows that walking decreases in obese people and also decreases with weight gain. Staying active is imperative to fighting obesity and managing your weight.

• Maximize your NEAT: Thermogenesis (or NEAT) is essentially the energy expended on something other than formal exercise and sleep. Walking, washing the dishes, cleaning the house and just moving around throughout the day all contribute to your NEAT. If you are walking to lose weight, NEAT can be a great tool to help you reach your goals. Over time NEAT can really add up and that’s what I attribute to helping me lose the last five pounds of my 30 pound weight loss journey. Going for a walk several times a week can burn over 200 calories. When all is said and done for the week, it can add up to a substantial calorie deficit with minimal effort.

Walking to lose weight

The story continues

• Check the weather forecast: The last thing you want is to get caught in a thunderstorm in the middle of your walk (which has happened to me a few times, so learn from my mistakes). I like to take a look at the morning weather forecast to see when would be the best time for my walk. If I normally walk around 5 p.m. but the weather forecast is forecasting rain, then I can postpone my walk for lunch. And always have a charged phone with you in case the weather changes and you need someone to pick you up.

• Moisturize: If you’re going for a long walk, you’ll want to make sure you’re hydrated. Try to stay hydrated during the day and drink two cups of water at least 30 to 60 minutes before your walk so that it is out of your system (and you won’t have to use the bathroom). When returning from your walk, be sure to drink a glass of water to rehydrate the body. Avoid sugary sodas or electrolyte drinks; if you walk at a moderate intensity, water will do very well to rehydrate the body.

• Get the right equipment: Throw out the old flip flops and go for a good pair of sneakers. This will help with posture while you walk and may also reduce the risk of injury. Plus, if you wear the right sneakers, it can help improve your stride and make the longer walk more comfortable.

• Focus on form: Walking itself doesn’t require a lot of skill and is very natural, but certain postures and form cues can help improve your walking. Focus on keeping your chin and shoulders straight. Your core should be engaged and your back should be straight. Most importantly, your glutes should be engaged with each step and try to think about tucking your butt inward. You’ll want to land on your heels and roll forward to push your toes back with each stride.

• Pick up the pace: Walking at intervals is a great way to help you burn more calories and keep your walk interesting. When it comes to walking, there are three different types of steps: walking (similar to window shopping, about 3/4 difficulty on a scale of 10), brisk walking (making an effort here, about a difficulty 4/5), and power walk (in mission, difficulty 5/6 approximately). Warm up with a walk, then aim for a sustained pace throughout your walk and push at a brisk walking pace every five minutes to increase your heart rate. See how long you can maintain a brisk walking pace, then try increasing it by a few seconds each time you go out for a walk. Brisk walking to lose weight can make a big difference in your overall health.

• Set an objective: How far can you walk in 30 minutes or 1 hour? In order to optimize your walking pace, try aiming for 1.5 miles per 30 minutes and 3 miles per hour, which works out to a brisk pace of about 20 minutes per mile. If you can’t commit to walking for an hour or 30 minutes, do what you can, anything is better than nothing and can go a long way in helping your daily steps.

• Walk on a slope: If you are indoors, a treadmill will allow you to manipulate your incline and this can increase the calorie burn from your walking. If you are outdoors, try going for a hilly area to optimize your walk. Research suggests that increasing the incline can increase the intensity of the workout while reducing the impact on the legs and joints.

• Walk with a friend: A responsible partner can help you stay on track and make that daily walk non-negotiable. Try to find a friend, family member, or coworker who will go for a walk with you several times a week to keep you motivated and make a difference.

Walking Calorie Calculator

Curious to see how many calories you burned while walking? Carrying your phone with you and logging into one of the apps below can give you an idea, but there are also some walking calorie calculators available on the web to provide an estimate. Your calorie intake will vary widely depending on several factors including your weight, distance traveled, incline, and terrain.

Walking to lose weight Apps and resources

If you’re going for a walk on your own, you’ll want to make sure you’re entertained and have something to look forward to. Here are some of our favorite walking apps and audiobooks to get the most out of your walking time.

• Human: Track your steps and movements, focusing on active minutes rather than steps and helping you with challenges along the way.

• Digital Platoon: Offers several guided walking lessons on demand, as well as virtual scenic routes.

• ROUTE ID: If you are concerned about safety while you walk, this app allows your friends and family to follow you while you run and offers other safety features.

• Charity miles: Turn your steps into money for charity and the app donates 25 cents to a charity of your choice for every mile you walk / run.

• Pacer: This pedometer integrated into your smartphone is ideal for tracking steps and activity throughout the day.

• Audible: Make your walks educational by listening to an audiobook that can help pass the time and keep you engaged.

• Spotify: Offers a wide variety of music options, playlists, and podcasts to enjoy while you’re out for a walk.

• Walk towards better health: This roadmap from our sister magazine Prevention comes with a preloaded MP3 player, dozens of walk workouts, and over 140 healthy recipes.

You might also like