Walking, without question, is one of the most effective ways to lose body weight. However, most beginners don’t actually know the dos and don’ts for this. So, how do you start walking for weight loss as a beginner?
First of all, walking needs to have the right pace. And you even need to take intervals in between to regain energy. Moreover, adding a weight vest would also be a good value to your workout. Additionally, speeding up walking with time is also necessary.
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How Do You Make Walking the Most Effective for Weight Loss?
Walking needs to be optimized to get the best result and ensure you lose weight. So, here we have shortlisted the ways you can make your walking most effective.
Take up the Right Pace
The pace is one of the most important things, especially when you’re walking. People often struggle to balance the right pace during their walks.
As a result, they don’t get their desired weight loss result. So, with an ideal pace, try to walk at a speed of 4 km per hour. That means you would walk about 1.5 miles in 15 minutes.
If you think it is too fast, you can always start slow. But whatever you do, don’t exhaust yourself at the very beginning.
Take the Right Intervals
It is perfectly fine to take breaks when you are walking. And if you are a beginner, it is a must! But taking breaks too often may not bring a good outcome actually.
So, the best interval would be to take a break of 3 minutes after a 30-minute walk. However, 1 or 2 minutes would be better ; in this case, you’ll feel more thirsty. So, if you drink water, make sure you don’t take more than 2 or 3 sips.
This is because drinking excess water at that time would cause irritation and even lead to throwing up.
Add a Weighted Vest
The more the weight, the more the weight loss with a regular workout! So, a heavier person would lose more weight than a thinner guy.
So, even you can add a weighted vest during your bricks. In this way, you can actually shed more weight.
However, do make sure that you don’t overweight, as this can have adverse effects. Exceeding the range may cause walking hard or can lead to severe back issues. So, the best option here would be to add only 10% of your weight.
Speed Up at the Last
If you aim to walk for an hour, walk at a pace of up to 50 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, try to increase the speed (to the extent that you feel comfortable).
The very last minute would be the highest rate of the entire journey. But remember this, you shouldn’t overdo it as this can lead to certain health issues and high blood pumping.
Increase Time Gradually
Being a beginner, you may walk for 15 minutes at first. However, you can gradually increase the duration. With time, you have to make it at least an hour or even more.
In a nutshell, you have to increase your steps day by day. And by doing this, you can shed proper weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to lose belly fat within just a week?
No, you can’t lose your belly fat just within a week. It would take at least a month to see noticeable results with regular exercise and a proper diet.
Can walking be problematic for my legs?
No, your legs won’t face any problems if you walk. But remember, everything has its limit! This means you should not overwalk in a single day. In that case, you may have leg cramps and pain.
Are there any disadvantages of walking?
Walking is definitely something that we all need. However, walking may actually have some drawbacks that we often overlook. Remember, overwalking for a couple of days may result in exhaustion. You would eventually have decreased performance and productivity.
Bottom Line
Now you know about the dos and don’ts of walking for weight loss! We believe you can get started and carry on shedding some weight. However, ensure that you don’t overdo your walking sessions and follow the walking guidelines mentioned above in the article.
References
La New, Jacquelyn M., and Katarina T. Borer. “Effects of Walking Speed on Total and Regional Body Fat in Healthy Postmenopausal Women – PMC.” PubMed Central (PMC), 31 Jan. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840715.
Boutcher, S. H. (2011). High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss. Journal of Obesity, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/868305
Peyrot N, Thivel D, Isacco L, Morin JB, Belli A, Duche P. Why does walking economy improve after weight loss in obese adolescents? Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Apr;44(4):659-65. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318236edd8. PMID: 21986806.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21986806/
About Jordan kally, MA, CSCS