What would happen if you could lose weight and get in shape with nothing but regular walking? It’s the question everyone is asking right now, so we thought what better time to dive into the details and take a closer look. We’re going to start with the basics and then build things up so you have everything you need to start burning fat the simple way…
How do you achieve weight loss?
A quick Google search will show you that there’s no shortage of fancy, overcomplicated ways to lose weight, but the biology never lies. The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you put in. When your body gets to the end of the day and there’s an excess of calories you haven’t burned off, they get stored as fat. And when your body is working hard and has used up all the energy from your diet, it starts burning fat to keep you going. Ignore all of the fancy explanations and stick to this so you can start seeing results nice and quick.
How many calories are burned during walking?
Good question! This will depend on the speed, duration and terrain you’re walking on. Doing a speed march up the steepest hill you can find will burn many more calories than a leisurely stroll around the park. That said, an average paced walk on flat ground will easily burn as many as 300 kcal per hour for an average adult. When you factor in that you only have to burn 3,500 kcal to get rid of a pound of fat, you start to see how daily walking can soon get you in shape without ever having to set foot in the gym.
How far should you walk to lose weight?
The most important thing to remember here is that you never want to risk doing too much too soon. Overdoing it in the early days might make you feel like you’re making rapid progress to begin with, but you’ll be worn out and stiff before you know it. Depending on your fitness level you’ll want to build up to 60-90 minutes of walking a day on flat ground. If you find yourself aching in the evenings then back off a little by making tomorrow’s walk 25% shorter until you feel the energy coming back into your legs. Stick to flat ground at your normal walking pace to begin with. Once you can complete a whole week easily, add speed sessions and incline sessions to mix things up and keep pushing on.
What are the benefits of walking in groups or with friends?
If you want to lose weight and get in shape, there’s nothing more important than motivation. Knowing that there’s a whole group of people who are counting on you to turn up when your legs ache and the rain is pouring in the winter months will be what makes the difference and gets you out there. If in doubt, find someone who wants to pursue the same goals as you and work with them to encourage one another. This one simple change to the way you approach your walking really can make all the difference in terms of your motivation.
Best time to walk?
This is very much a personal choice, but there’s a lot to be said for anchoring your day with an early morning walk. You’ll be at your most rested and alert, won’t have had time to get tired or hungry, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you were up bright and early. You’ll also be able to kickstart your metabolism so you can help your body break down your meals faster and start getting rid of a few extra pounds.
What should you wear on your walks?
Comfortable shoes, running leggings, and an outer shell windbreaker top or hoody you can easily remove if you start to sweat will be ideal here. In the winter you’ll want to add in gloves and a hat, and in the summer, you’ll probably trim back to a vest and shorts. The key is to dress for the elements and to find shoes that don’t rub or pinch, especially if you want to increase your mileage, speed and the difficulty of the terrain you walk on.
Hydration and stretching are the keys to long term progress
Aim to drink 500 ml of water during or immediately after a strenuous hour-long walk so that your body has plenty to work with as you replace the sweat. You’ll also want to stretch everything from your shoulders and back down to the tips of your toes. Pay particular attention to the calf muscles and hamstrings as it’s easy to tighten these without realizing it and leave yourself open to stress injuries.
Final thoughts
With the right approach to stretching, hydration and motivation you can turn walking into a daily habit that helps you burn fat before you know it. All you have to do now is lace up your trainers and go out and give it a go.
Here you can learn more about our approach to lose wight.