Title:

Walking to Lose Weight: Dos and Don'ts of Walking!

Author: Ashley Green

Article:
Walking is increasingly being rated as an excellent means of
staying fit and healthy. It is natural form of exercise that we
do every day to some extent. For those who consider it a form of
exercise the risks of suffering an injury are low as long as you
follow a gradual programme and don't do too much too soon. All
you need is a pair of comfortable shoes with adequate support
and shock absorption and a watch with a second hand if you want
to measure the intensity of your walk by measuring the heart
rate. The benefits that you derive from walking are dependant on
many factors that include, how frequently you walk, the distance
covered and the intensity of your walks.

While a half-hour amble through the park might do wonders to
reduce your stress levels, it would not do much in terms of
weight loss. However, a programme of regular brisk walking (six
to eight km), combined with an energy-controlled, low-fat,
high-carbohydrate diet should cut some body fat.

<b>Do's</b>

. Make your walks a priority. Unless you recognize them as an
essential feature of your lifestyle, you will soon abandon them.

. Try to convince a friend to join you. You can motivate one
another and chat while walking. Ideally, get your spouse to walk
too.

. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes. Take the advice of
well-trained staff at the shoe shop.

. Set yourself a goal and reward yourself when you achieve it.
Positive reinforcement is strongly linked to success and
sustainability.

. Monitor your progress, keep track of the distance walked, how
long it took and what your exercising heart rate over a
10-second period is. Also measure your waist, hips and chest
every month.

. Find an attractive variety of routes to avoid boredom. A food
idea is to measure out a 3-5 km route, which you walk as fast as
you can once a week.

. Read up on the benefits of regular walking, i.e. a decrease in
your risk of suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, obesity, type 2
diabetes, anxiety and depression. This information will
strengthen your resolve.

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Don't's

. Don't expect significant weight loss in the first few weeks.
Walking 3-4 times a week at a moderate to high intensity can
result in fat loss, if combined with high carbohydrate, low-fat
meals.

. Don't walk alone in the dark and wear a reflective
belt/clothing at dawn or dusk.

. Don't miss sessions early on in your programme. In a few
months, you will probably be addicted to it.

. Don't overdo it. Many people start off totally fired up and
think that mote is better and add in extra sessions. this leads
to burnout and is not sustainable.



The Starting Point-

. Men over 40. women over the 50 and those with either a chronic
disease or risk factors musk seek medical advice.

. Purchase a pair of suitable walking shoes, a watch with a
second hand and a reflective belt.

. Measure out routes ranging from 2-5 km in a safe and
attractive suburb.

. Do some baseline measurements as well as your walking sessions.

. Warm up for five minutes before starting out on your walk.