Walking to lose weight not only helps to lose weight by getting rid of extra pounds, but also has a positive effect on mood: a pleasant walk in nature is therefore useful for body and soul, but it takes a little perseverance to achieve the desired results. If you don’t like outdoor sports, during the cold season you can also try some simple yoga exercises to tone up.
Can you really lose weight by walking?
Body health and well-being should always come first, but that doesn’t mean doing extreme sports that aren’t for us. This is why the combination of a brisk and above all regular walk with a healthy diet can give extraordinary results that we would never have expected.
Walking has the advantage of being a simple sport that can also be defined as very natural: you don’t have to be a professional athlete or have years of training behind you.
Come to think of it, we walk every day to go to work, to run errands, but also to go shopping with friends. Without realizing it, through simple daily activities, we give our body the opportunity to move, thus contributing significantly to its well-being. If we have specific weight loss goals, we can turn walking into a real sporting exercise: if practiced regularly over time, you will be surprised at the results and will not want to give it up. What if it’s raining or cold? All you need is a treadmill at home to be able to take your daily steps, even on days when you don’t want to go out.
Motivational tips to start walking every day
It may seem trivial, but we’ve put together some simple tips that can encourage even the laziest of us. With the right motivation, you will have no more excuses: walk!
Choose shoes that suit your needs: this is particularly important so that you don’t end up with sore feet after a few meters and immediately give up the idea of continuing. Also, choosing the right shoes will help you not to get your feet wet in the rain and not to slip if the ground is wet.
Buying new sportswear is proven to increase motivation. Choose sportswear that is also breathable and waterproof.
Track your progress with a sports watch with a pedometer, or some apps that you can download to your smartphone. Observing your results day by day will give you even more motivation.
Put on your favorite playlist, put your headphones in your ears and clear your mind. Music can do wonders and fill you with positive energy.
If possible, vary your routes from day to day so that you are always curious to discover new places.
A small backpack, fanny pack or bracelet will be perfect for storing the few personal items you need to take with you: your cell phone, keys and a small bottle of water will be more than enough.
If it’s summer, don’t forget to apply sunscreen to avoid sunburn: in fact, you have to do it all year round, adjusting the protection factor of the cream according to the season. On the other hand, in winter, protect yourself well with a hat, gloves and a neck warmer to avoid seasonal illnesses.
Walking to lose weight: the rules to avoid making mistakes
If you have decided to make walking your ally to lose weight and get in shape, here are the rules to follow to avoid making mistakes.
Walk at a brisk and continuous pace.
Maintain a steady pace throughout your walk.
Aim to hit the “endurance zone,” which is between 60-75% of your maximum heart rate (maximum number of heartbeats in 1 minute). This allows you to burn fat. If you’re short of breath, it means you’ve passed the endurance zone and it’s better to slow down. If, on the other hand, you start to sweat little by little and you feel your muscles warming up and activating, the rhythm will be perfect and you should continue.
For those who have never done sports or are not in good shape, it is always better not to “start in fourth gear”, but to proceed gradually: alternate 2 minutes of brisk walking with 30 seconds of slow walking , in this method if you are a sedentary person, you will be able to reach the rhythm that suits you more easily.
Make sure your foot is firmly planted on the ground, from heel to toe: this is very important to avoid any problems with your muscles, ligaments and joints.
Focus on working your thigh muscles without straining your knee. Your legs should not be too stiff.
The same goes for the shoulders: try to keep them flexible and low, releasing tension in the neck and shoulder blades.
Bend your arms and try to coordinate their movement with that of your legs.
Last rule, but extremely important: pay attention to your breathing. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth to prevent your throat from drying out quickly. Breathe by controlling your belly and your diaphragm.