By healthiergang writer Valentina Ottaviani, fitness instructor and sports, wellness and fashion journalist.
Quick Walk for Weight Loss
The countdown for the bikini test has already begun and since time immemorial, tips for losing weight have been going crazy everywhere from the web to social networks.
There are also those who, between drastic last-minute fasts and exhausting sessions in the gym, try to conquer, in the wrong way, what with a constant commitment instead could be achieved throughout the year by combining daily exercise with a healthy and balanced diet, always preferring a correct lifestyle, rather than alternative methods that are too rigid from time to time.
For those who are not fans of the weight room or of the fitness courses offered in gyms or for those who habitually lead a sedentary life, doing excessive physical activity all together can be harmful to the body. So why not start from the beginning with a simple but effective sport?
Have you ever thought how easy it can be to lose weight while walking? Yes, it really works. Few are aware of it, but the benefits that are derived from it are many. Doctors and health specialists agree that brisk walking is an excellent choice for losing weight because it allows muscles to burn calories by tapping into fat stores.
According to the World Health Organization, 10 thousand steps a day would be required, about 7km, to stay healthy for a long time.
The walk, the brisk walk, is considered a real physical exercise only if the commitment and the pace with which you proceed is constant every day. For it to be effective and lead to weight loss, it must be part of a long-lasting workout accompanied by a lifestyle and a varied and balanced diet.
What is meant by fast walking?
A brisk walk does not mean an extremely fast pace, but rather try to keep a pace as constant as possible for the duration of the exercise. In fact, several researches show how an average pace of about 4/5 km per hour allows the body to burn reserve fats, while with a faster pace the body first burns carbohydrates and only then 20% of the fat reserves, as opposed to 40% of the "slower" pace.
Also with it even if you burn a few calories less than running, the stimulus of hunger is less and you eat less. In fact, if it is true that the effort is less intense, it is also true that by walking it is possible to practice physical activity for longer and to be more constant.
How long does it take to walk to lose weight?
But the usual question that everyone keeps asking is… how long does it take to walk to lose weight? To start losing weight and therefore burning calories from fat it is necessary to maintain a constant pace at a brisk pace throughout the walk for a period of time ranging from 30 to 50 minutes at least, if you want to do a real workout, after have warmed up for 10 minutes with a walk at natural speed and some exercises for the legs and arms.
In order for there to be an effective weight loss with walking, it is necessary to reach the so-called "endurance zone", or resistance, between 60 and 70% of the maximum heart rate (maximum number of heart beats in 1 minute when we are subjected to effort ).
This is the stage where most of the calories burned come from fat and serve to fuel the muscles that need energy. As we walk, if the breathing becomes heavier, we sweat slightly, we feel that the whole body is working but we still manage to have a conversation while not remaining breathless, we have reached the "resistance zone".
Calorie consumption depends a lot on several factors such as age, weight, intensity, duration of training and the slope of the terrain. Approximately you can burn from 300 Kcal upwards with an hour of walking at a speed between 3-5 Km / h, but this is always subjective.
If you practice it outdoors you can choose different routes every time even with climbs and descents, if instead you practice on the carpet we can monitor the training thanks to the indicators on the display, which provide us in addition to the slope, the distance traveled and the speed , keeping caloric consumption and heart rate under control.
Obviously, as for all disciplines, training must be gradual and built on the basis of one's physique and state of health, which must always be evaluated first by a doctor. It is essential to be able to really lose weight with 1 hour of walking, to train regularly 3 to 5 times a week, otherwise our occasional efforts will have been useless.
Losing weight means losing fat, not muscle mass, as would be the case with an excessive diet. Muscles burn calories naturally, and the more they develop with continuous and lasting work, the greater the calorie expenditure in the future.
The Benefits of Fast Walking
The benefits of walking are so many. In fact, not only can we streamline the silhouette, the parts most subject to the accumulation of the hated pads, such as hips, legs and belly, but we tone the whole body in a universal way, shaping legs, buttocks, and even abdomen if it is contracted while walking. as well as the back muscles, which allow you to maintain a correct posture, all to contribute to the increase of the basal metabolism.
In this way it is also possible to overcome the stagnation of liquids, which represents the greatest risk factor for the development of cellulite. Immune defenses are strengthened and there is a lower risk of getting sick, diabetes is prevented and it is ideal for the bones, as practicing sports constantly helps fight osteoporosis.
Whether it is to lose weight, to tone the body or to get back in shape, walking has the advantage of bringing benefits not only physical but also on a mental level by acting positively on all health. Endorphins are released, i.e. those chemicals produced by the brain and endowed with a powerful activity, which positively affects the mood, bringing euphoria and well-being.
The mood benefits, tensions are released, anxiety is reduced, as well as cortisol and consequently there is greater control of appetite. In addition to this, it regulates the sleep-wake rhythm thanks to the psycho-physical well-being produced and the increase in tryptophan, precursor of serotonin, generates a sensation of pleasure for the whole organism.
From the point of view of the balance it is appropriate to specify that weight loss occurs when you consume more calories than you ingest, and if you do not reduce your daily calorie intake by balancing nutrients correctly, almost all the efforts of physical activity do not lead to evident results.
What is certain, however, is that, parallel to a balanced diet plan, fast walking is an excellent ally and if you want to make it even more effective to optimize results, it can be useful to combine it with natural load toning exercises.
The 5 Best Tips
In order not to waste time, breath and energy unnecessarily, here are 5 good tips to follow before starting.
1. Set yourself a realistic goal to achieve and be consistent
Make a schedule of your weekly training by organizing your time based on physical activity so that you have no excuse to skip it. To lose weight and tone your body you will need to be constant and walk 3 to 5 times a week for 30 to 50 minutes to get noticeable results.
2. Choose a place to walk and increase the duration of the workout
If you practice walking outdoors, make sure it is away from city traffic and that the terrain is suitable. Wear shoes suitable for walking that support the foot by easing the pressure between it and the ground especially if you intend to walk a lot. When you feel ready after a while, try interval training, or alternating intense work phases with mild phases of recovery from effort.
3. Hydrate yourself well before you start walking
Make sure you have drunk at least 250-500ml of water a few hours before exercising. This will allow you not to be dehydrated, especially in hot weather. It then replenishes the minerals lost through sweating through fruits and vegetables.
4. Change paths and surfaces
A day on the street, a day on a trail, a day with ups and downs and a day on the flat and maybe even on the treadmill if you have no way to go out. Changing the place and surface often reduces the risks of overload, as well as those of boredom and allows you to stimulate all the muscle groups more. And if you can also walk barefoot, for example on the beach or in all those places dedicated to barefooting.
5. Energize and stretch
Last but not least, create your favorite playlist so you don't get bored. Listening to music has been proven to stimulate commitment, relieve fatigue and motivate you. In addition, walking is an excellent opportunity to relax, clear your mind and have a chat if you go out with friends, all while continuing to do fitness. At the end of each workout, always remember to do 5 minutes of stretching to stretch the muscles.
So what are you waiting for, put on your sneakers and let's start walking.
