Walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise for several reasons: it's easy, most people can do it, it's free, you don't have to go to a gym, you can do it inside if the weather is bad, it's good for your health, and it can help you lose weight.
If you're a walking aficionado, you may be wondering how to amp up your walk for quick weight loss. The following tips will help burn more fat and get you slim:
The first thing that you should do is be conscious of your posture. It can help you move more efficiently and prevent injury.
*Keep your head and back straight.
*Land on your heel and roll forward. Push off with the balls of your feet.
*Point your toes straight ahead. Many people walk with their toes facing in or out. This can cause hip and leg pain.
*Keep your chin up, relax your shoulders, and tuck your butt in (rotate your hips forward a little - this will keep your back straight).
Now, to get more from your walk:
1. Add arms
If you are letting your arms swing loosely at your side, you're missing out on some great calorie burning. Instead, bend them at ninety degree angles and curl them loosely.
When you stride forward, bring your arms straight forward and then straight back. Keep them close to your body. You may seem people who are throwing their arms up in the air and looking like they're going to propel themselves off the ground!
This is actually ineffective: don't bring your arms up higher than your breastbone and keep pace with your stride. When you are first starting out, it may tire you so try a few minutes at a time.
2. Walk More
This may sound very basic, but if you have stopped seeing quick weight loss results, you may need to walk more. If you are doing thirty minutes, kick it up to forty-five a few times a week until that becomes easy. Work up to sixty.
After that, you may not be able to find time to walk! This is a good time to add intensity to your walk with hills or more brisk paces.
3. Add hills
Your body is a remarkable efficient machine - it gets used to exercise and so burns less calories to perform the same moves. If you find your normal walks are no longer achieving quick weight loss, it's time to add some intensity.
If you are walking outdoors, find a route that has a good mixture of level terrain and hills. If you keep your pace brisk, these hills are great for busting through weight loss plateaus.
If you walk indoors on a treadmill, increase the incline. If you walk with a video, add higher intensity periods. Walk at a moderate pace for a few minutes and throw in a few minutes of very brisk walking or even jogging.
All this keeps your heart pumping and your body exerted. The key is to not let your body get comfortable.
4. Do something else
Your body needs a variety of movement. Walking is excellent, but to keep quick weight loss a reality, you should mix in some strength training and flexibility training into your workout routine.
You can do this a few days a week, or cut your walk in half (just make it more intense) and then do some weight training for the remainder of the workout. You'll really see big results in weight loss, as well as more toned and defined arms.
Many weight loss experts say that walking is one of the best exercises you can do to achieve your goals. But to lose weight, it can't be a stroll around the park.
Walking can be serious exercise and can lead to quick weight loss! Keep your body challenged and your appetite under control - you'll be happy with the results.
Author RSS Views:
Print this article
Ask about this article