Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Walk toward Fun and Weight Loss

By John GilbertGrant

Walking is one of the easiest exercises there is and it's one of the most effective. In fact, walking is the best way for a sedentary individual to begin an exercise program says Shirley Archer, a fitness expert and health educator from California.

Walking for weight loss does not only help you shed pounds and inches. It does more for your psych as well. Take Jim Wilson, for example. He's a financial adviser from Arkansas who lost 50 pounds in six months just by walking for weight loss. He says as he walked his weight away, he has an improved self-esteem; he sleeps better and feels healthier.

Even if you simply want to walk to lose weight, you'll also gain medical benefits that can't be disputed if you walk. In fact, it's cardiovascular exercise that can help you reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other injury. It lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure, improves your heart's function, and can tone your muscles all over your body.

If you need to walk for weight loss, don't make it a chore; and if you're just starting out, don't be drastic about it, either. Doing just a little can make all the difference in the world. Start small. Walk to work. If your office is too far away to do that, take the car but then park about 15 minutes away from the building and walk the rest of the way. Simply walking the 15 minutes to and from your car gives you a total of 30 minutes a day in walking.

Whenever you can, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you're not up to a hike of three or four flights, take the stairs from the first floor to the next, and then take the elevator the rest of the way. As you get in shape, take the stairs two at a time. You can burn calories off that you've had for lunch and burn a few more off, too. Instead of sending an e-mail to a colleague who is in the same office building, at least a couple of times a day, walk over and deliver the message in person. Instead of picking up the phone, pop on over and say what you need to say in person. This not only gives you a chance to get a little bit of exercise in, but it's a good short break, too. Getting up and stretching your muscles keeps the blood flowing and will help keep you from getting too tired; it boasts alertness and gives you a "mental health" break, too.

If you find yourself getting bored, switch things out and try something new. The first order of exercise is that it should be fun. So if you're finding that your walk is getting boring, take a buddy with you and walk home with each other. This gives you a chance to talk, and if you can talk while you're walking, you're also making sure that you're not going too fast or too hard for your own conditioning. This makes the exercising more effective.

Or, if you walk alone, listen to music while you do so. Pick something with a good walking beat and pop your headphones in, then get up and get moving so that you get energized. Even if weight loss is your actual goal, walking is also a good way to spend time with yourself alone, and it's enjoyable to boot.

Walk toward fun. Plot a route that ends at a fun place. It can be your favorite grocery store, a favorite spot at a local park, even a spa. Your route does not have to be the same everyday. And you don't have to actually go to the park, buy something from the store or walk into the spa every time you wind up there. But you can schedule it with your weight loss goals so that when you've reached a weight goal, you can reward yourself right away with a treat.

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