Walking To Lose Weight -A Simple But Effective Method

Walking to lose weight is a simple but powerful method that can help with your long term weight loss goals. Walking is a natural, safe and enjoyable exercise that can be done in almost any environment. While it doesn’t burn up calories as quickly as strenuous activities such as running, jogging or riding a bicycle, it can be surprisingly effective. Walking is perhaps the most natural physical exercise you can do. Long before there were automobiles or bicycles -and even before humans domesticated horses to ride on- walking was the way people got around. In recent years, the sad fact is that many people only walk when they absolutely have to. They may see walking as something you do to get from your car to the store, or from your driveway to the house. If this describes you, and your goal is to lose weight and get healthier, it may be a good idea to change the way

you see walking.

The great thing about walking is that you can easily start at your own pace and gradually speed up. You can also practice walking almost anywhere. If you live in the city, you can walk on sidewalks or in a park. If you live closer to nature, you can walk on wooded or mountain trails. If you live in the suburbs, you can still find either sidewalks or a public track. You can, of course, get machines that allow you to walk in place indoors. This can be good for bad weather, or for people with physical limitations that make it hard to leave the house. Otherwise, it’s good to also walk outside when you can. The surroundings make it more interesting and it’s good to get fresh air as well (unless you live in a badly polluted city).

The key to getting the most benefit from walking is to do it consistently. Walking, unlike many other forms of exercise, can be done daily with no ill effects. You may want to find a partner or group to make it more interesting and sociable. If you walk alone, you can carry an iPod or other device that allows you to listen to music. Just make sure you are alert to your surroundings at all times.

Walking is also something you can do as it was originally intended -as a way to get from Point A to Point B. You can get into the habit of walking to the store instead of driving. If you go to a large mall or a downtown area, you can park your car once and walk to all of your destinations rather than driving to each one. Even if you work in an office you can take more walks around the building during breaks or lunch.

Losing weight is an equation with two main variables -calorie intake and calorie burning. Walking can help with burning calories, but you also have to pay attention to your intake. You don’t have to go on an extreme starvation diet, but if you are taking in more calories than you need, you can gradually cut back. If you do this while also increasing your metabolism by walking regularly, you should start to see some results fairly quickly.