Home Blogs Does Walking Help You Lose Weight: Walking To Reduce Weight | Ghrelin Levels
Does Walking Help You Lose Weight: Walking To Reduce Weight | Ghrelin Levels
By
Patricia | August 2, 2010
Does walking help you lose weight
It is easy to shun walking as a great exercise because it seems too simple and comfortable. Most people, when they are trying to lose those extra pounds and get into shape, try weight training, power sports, or diet fads. These may leave you either completely exhausted or without long-term motivation.
So, does walking help you lose weight? Could it be a beginners’ answer to moderate intensity exercise? Can a few minutes of walking fit into your busy lifestyle and help you lose weight? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’ to all of the above questions.
Here are a few reasons why walking can help you lose weight and keep that weight off for good.
- An invigorating thirty minute walk three times a week can help you lose at least two pounds and knock off 1 to 1 ½ inches from your waistline. This might vary from person to person depending on the metabolism, but walking those pounds off consistently is worth the effort.
- Even if your diet is a sore issue with you, try a cardio exercise like walking to stave off those hunger pangs. Walking can lower your levels of ‘ghrelin’, an appetite-stimulating hormone. Your walking routine can grant as much as two hours of benefit, counting the workout time as well.
- Need another reason to put on those walking shoes? Various studies show that you are more conscious of what you eat when you are exercising. Your walking workout can stem the temptation to indulge in a creamy pie. You count calories while eating and you burn calories during a walking workout. You do not need an expert to tell you that if you burn more calories than you consume, you see more weight loss.
- As you increase your walking speed on a week-to-week basis a minute at a time, you will notice better endurance levels and stronger leg muscles. Keep going and you could very well graduate to the next step: power walking, race walking, jogging, and even running.
- Any kind of walking can help you lose weight. You do not have to join a gym—you can walk indoors on a treadmill or outdoors on a trail. All you have to ensure is that you walk at a steady pace. Consistency will help you achieve better results.
- Walking helps you to lose weight while making it fun and engaging. Try to combine other aerobic workouts along with walking for further weight loss. Alternate walking with a sprint or jog and see your heart rate accelerate. Try incline walking for added tension on your quadriceps and glutes and work them harder. If you cannot find a hill to climb, take the stairs instead.
- Not only does walking help you lose weight, it is a great cardiovascular workout. Walking will help you stay in shape, better yet, it will keep you heart healthy.
- Following a complete medical check-up before you join any workout routine is essential. While walking, remember to keep yourself hydrated. Carry a re-usable, plastic water bottle. A heart rate monitor or pedometer can be useful to track your heart rate and speed. A pair of comfortable walking shoes, however, is essential to the workout.