Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for weight loss, and it’s free and easy to slot into your daily routine. But if you want to make it even more effective, there are certain techniques you can try
Shedding the pounds can often feel like a daunting task, particularly when it comes to picking a diet that fits your lifestyle and squeezing in some exercise into our hectic schedules, but one of the simplest and most effective ways recommended for weight management is a good, brisk walk. “Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier,” the NHS advises.
Although often underestimated as an exercise method, going for a walk isn’t just about getting fresh air – it can burn calories and give your cardiovascular health a boost. It’s all down to how vigorously you walk, the duration of your walks, and making sure you’re in a calorie deficit – which means eating fewer calories than you’re burning.
Research points out that walking for just 30 minutes every day can significantly reduce body fat, yet the key lies in mastering the right technique. Casual strolls probably won’t cut it if you’re after major calorie burn; however, adding intervals or picking up the pace, using weights, or tackling uphill walks could work wonders.
Denise Miklasz, personal trainer at Northwestern Medicine Crystal Lake Health & Fitness Centre, recommends including “30-60-second bursts of faster walking every three to five minutes, followed by a 30-second recovery walk”.
She added to Popsugar: “The intensity at which you walk plays a key role in helping your body burn more calories and improve your cardiorespiratory system. An interval-training workout will continue to burn more calories after your workout due to a physiological effect called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. EPOC is sometimes referred to as the ‘afterburn effect'”.
In order to lose weight, you also need to be in a calorie deficit. According to Denise, one pound is equal to 3,500 calories. So in order to lose 1lb every week, you nede to drop 3,500 calories, which experts “consider a safe and healthy goal”. In order words, you need to burn an extra 3,500 calories or remove 3,500 from your diet, spread over the whole week.
According to the NHS, the physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 is 150 minutes per week. As a guide, an average man needs 2,500 calories a day, while a woman needs 2,000, but this could be different based on your age, weight, height and how much exercise you do.
