Losing a little weight is a target which many people have in common. Unfortunately, weight loss is often associated with almost permanent hunger pangs as you starve yourself on the latest Hollywood diet - or getting out of breath and sweaty down at the gym. Pounding the pavement in the rain and laps of the track are other unappealing options which are often associated with shedding a few pounds. none of these are attractive propositions for the majority of people - and the good news is that none of them are strictly necessary.
Losing weight - and gaining a whole host of additional health benefits - is achievable just by performing a simple form of exercise which most of us perform on a daily basis without even thinking about it. Walking is a low impact, low injury risk way to exercise which is a great solution for many people - at a variety of different fitness levels and across a wide age band. It’s ideal for anyone recovering from an illness or injury and is a great way to lose weight post childbirth.
The great thing about walking is that it is a perfectly natural activity. It needs no special equipment, training or expertise. Anyone can do it - anywhere they like and any time that suits them. It can be fitted into your daily schedule as and when it’s convenient for you. There’s no need to make time for a special trip to the gym - which will also save you money on monthly membership fees.
The secret to getting health benefits and losing weight using walking as an exercise method is consistency. Regular, relatively low level exercise, carried out on a frequent basis is much better than sporadic bursts of high intensity physical activity - and much less likely to produce strains, sprains and other injuries as well. Walking just 30 minutes a day can soon produce results - just as long as it’s done routinely.
If you can gradually increase to 10,000 steps a day on a regular basis, then you will be pleasantly surprised - both at the results and how quickly you can see them and feel them. For most people, 10,000 steps a day will be approximately 5 miles and, whilst that may sound like a fair old distance, it’s much easier to achieve than you might imagine.
Another good thing about walking is the fact that you don’t need any special equipment. A good pair of comfortable shoes is all that’s necessary for you to get started. Whilst it’s not strictly necessary, you may consider getting hold of a pedometer to be a good idea. You can pick these up for less than $10 these days. They will help you to track and monitor your progress and will display results in terms of the number of steps taken, the number of calories burned or the distance covered. It might help to keep you motivated and encourage you to make a walking workout part of your daily routine.
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