2023-09-08 20:00:35
While walking is beneficial for overall health, there are techniques to do it, helping you lose weight more effectively.
Last update: September 8, 2023
A report from Harvard University confirms that it is possible to lose weight by walking. And although this is always a healthy physical exercise, performed in a certain way, it helps to achieve the proposed goals in a faster and more effective way. Next, we will learn what techniques are recommended in this regard by the prestigious institution.
Health benefits of walking
It is said that a sedentary lifestyle is as harmful or more harmful to health than smoking. On the other hand, Walking regularly can help us improve in different aspectsboth physically and mentally.
Various research points out the benefits of this physical activity; Among the main ones are:
It prevents cardiovascular diseases and helps improve the health of people who suffer from them. According to one study, postmenopausal women who reported doing an average of four hours of exercise per week had a lower risk of breast cancer. And about half said walking was their only recreational activity. Doing it in moderation can help relieve joint pain, fatigue and stiffness, symptoms related to arthritis, protecting the joints and strengthening the muscles around them. Improves mood, as it increases serotonin levels, as occurs with physical activity in general; This in turn contributes to reducing the risks of depression and even pain in people who suffer from fibromyalgia. It helps control blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, especially if walking is done at intervals. The energy expenditure resulting from walking reduces the risk of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.
And if that were not enough, apart from the aforementioned benefits, it also is it possible to lose weight just by walking. As indicated in the report titled Walking for health from Harvard University, this tops the list of activities to lose weight.
In this regard, they cite a study in which more than 5,000 people participated, of whom 52% affirm that they walk more than a mile a day. Thanks to this, the subjects studied lost 30 kilos on average and maintained their weight for up to five years.
How to lose weight walking?
Although we have all walked since we were little, and perhaps many do so with some frequency, There are certain specific techniques that must be implemented to make weight loss more effective. Let’s see what they are according to the Harvard University publication.
1. Go faster
The amount of calories consumed increases the faster we walk. According to the Harvard publication, 50% or more calories are burned when we accelerate from 6.5 to 7.5 kilometers per hour.
But for it, You don’t have to take longer strides, but rather quick steps. Do not move your arms too much either, rather you should maintain good posture, squeeze your shoulder blades and bring your elbows back, keeping them close to the body, without separating them to the sides.
2. Work on slopes
Whether in the mountains, on a hilly street or adjusting the elevation on the treadmill, a few degrees of incline adds a little intensity to the exerciseactivating more muscle fibers in the legs, as well as increasing calorie burning, up to 60%.
This It can be an alternative for those who have difficulty going faster, for reasons of overweight or joint pain. It has been determined that walking slowly on a slope is as good a cardiovascular exercise as walking quickly on flat ground; although the load on the joints is less, at least on the way up.
Now, although the tendency when we are on a slope is to lean forward, You have to try to keep your back straight and take short steps. On the other hand, to reduce the impact of the descent on the knees and ankles, you must also keep your steps short, avoiding hitting the ground suddenly.
3. Climb stairs
As a complement to the previous point, Climbing stairs is another way to burn calories up to two or three times faster. Even if done at a slow and steady pace, this activity is considered more strenuous than walking fast on flat ground, climbing an incline, or lifting weights.
If you decide on this modality, it is recommended to start moderately: one or two floors per day, and then add sections. According to a study carried out by graduates of the same institution, The premature mortality rate of those who climb stairs as a regular exercise is 33% lower than that of sedentary people and 22% less than those who walk less than two kilometers per day.
4. Use poles
Ski poles can be used, as canes, that are appropriate for the person’s height. This allows you to increase the work of the upper part of the bodyhelping to tone the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back, while increasing calorie burning, without realizing that we are working harder.
Other recommendations for losing weight by walking
There are different ways to increase or vary training to lose weight by walking. For example, It is suggested to do the work in intervalswalking for three minutes slow, then five minutes fast, then slow again.
As the person’s physical condition improves, distance and time can be gradually increased dedicated to doing the exercise; although staying within a moderate limit, between 30 minutes a day and 150 a week.
Apart from what the Harvard guide points out, there are some additional recommendations that can be taken into account regarding walking; among them, the following:
Exercising in green areas brightens the eyes and the impact on the joints is less if the terrain is sandy or there is grass. Stretching a little after walking is the best time to do it. Go for walks during the hours when there is less sun, both for the care of our skin and because of the high temperature that can dehydrate us. Drink enough fluids while exercising. Walking in groups helps us feel motivated. Downloading an app or using a pedometer allows you to see your progress. We can listen to music, if we want. Varying the route each day helps so that the exercise does not become monotonous.
Although not all of these recommendations are going to make us lose weight while we walk, will help maintain focus and avoid some problemssuch as those related to excessive sun exposure (burns, dry skin, wrinkles).
This way, the activity can be made sustainable over time and we are more likely to lose weight by walking, if this is our goal.
The recipe of the day
Given everything we have explained, so far, It is not surprising that when we go to the doctor, apart from some treatment, he suggests walkingas long as this does not affect the person’s condition.
Now, if we plan to do it on our own, it wouldn’t hurt to go for a check-up and ask the health professional everything we need to know about walking, including how much is recommended.
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