If you want to achieve weight loss then you must consider your calorie balance. If you consume fewer calories as a result of eating and drinking than you burn off by physical activity, you will tend to lose weight. Physical activity includes practically everything that you do during the course of your daily routine. You use up calories all the time during the day. Sitting watching the TV, typing on your computer, reading a book – all of these activities use up calories.
Your metabolic rate sounds very scientific – but it’s just the rate at which you burn calories. Of course, different individuals have different metabolic rates. We all know some lucky people who seem able to eat whatever they like without piling on the pounds. They probably have a metabolic rate which is higher than normal.
That’s the reason why you should really include a certain level of regular exercise in your weight loss routine. Clearly when you exercise you will burn off calories, which is a good thing of course. However, what’s even better is that, as long as your exercise is conducted on a regular basis it will actually cause your metabolic rate to rise. You will use up calories faster than before – even when you’re not exercising – and that could mean that you see improved results, and a lot quicker, than if dieting is all you do to lose weight.
The main thing is consistency. You don’t need to visit the gym or get all hot and sweaty, a low intensity workout will do the trick – as long as it is performed frequently. Walking is a very popular form of exercise. It’s easy to do, it doesn’t carry any high monthly membership fees, you can fit it into your day whenever you like and you don’t need any special training or equipment. The health benefits of walking are numerous and, due to the fact that it’s a low impact way to take exercise, the risk of injury is low.
If you like, you can maximize the efficiency of your walking routine by using the latest design of exercise footwear. You can now get specially engineered shoes like Skechers Shape Ups, Reebok Easy Tones, MBT’s and Fit flops sandals – all of which use specially designed soles to raise the amount of work carried out by your lower body muscles and to help tone your legs and trim your butt. However, even if you don’t feel the need to try any of these, then do be absolutely certain to get yourself a pair of shoes that are a good fit and are comfortable. You’ll find it very difficult to maintain your walking schedule if you have blisters or if your shoes are uncomfortable in any way.
A lot of people ask how many calories walking will burn off. It depends upon your weight. A heavier person will burn more calories per mile than a lighter person – just because they are carrying more weight over the same distance. A rough rule of thumb is that a 180 pound person will burn around about 100 calories per mile. A 130 pound person will use about 84 calories when walking the same distance. If you wish to know more accurately how many calories you are burning then an Omron pedometer is accurate to within 5% and can show your results in terms of distance covered, calories burned or the total number of steps taken.
The recommended target in order to achieve the many health benefits of walking – including weight loss – is 10,000 steps a day. But you don’t need to do this immediately. Take your time and build up at a pace you’re comfortable with. If you are over 40 years of age, if you have any medical conditions, or if you just haven’t exercised for a while, then you should seek the opinion of your doctor prior to taking up any new exercise program. Remember, the most important thing is consistency and taking your exercise on a regular basis. Brief periods of high intensity activity are nothing like as good as regular low level exercise. That’s why walking is such a perfect exercise option for many people.
