Walking For Weight Loss

Walking For Weight Loss: How Effective is it?

There have been many discussions and debates about the impact of walking on one’s body. Most people believe that walking can help you increase your fitness levels but there is not much to be said about walking for weight loss. That may need reevaluation. Weight loss is possible with a regular regime of walking. If you have a walking to lose weight plan, you can do it through this common exercise, you need to make it to at least 10,000 steps in a day. You may literally need to step it up based on your calorie consumption. 

Weight loss is a balanced combination of diet and exercise. This is why walking and weight loss go hand in hand. Even if you are unable to find the time to go and exercise in a gym or you have an irregular schedule, walking for weight loss as the goal is not very difficult to incorporate into your day. If you are thinking of how you could benefit from walking exercise, here is a list of benefits. Also know about yoga for diabetes type 1

Benefits of walking

Whether you are on a mission with a 28-day walking plan for weight loss or you are worried about your health, walking is the answer to most health issues and the key to a healthy lifestyle. Let us take a look at the benefits of walking in detail to understand how best you can make use of it to enhance your health. 

1. Walking is proven to be beneficial for your cardiac health. It reduces the possibility of heart-related diseases and strokes. 
2. Walking for weight loss has another advantage and that is it reduces the bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and in return increases the good cholesterol levels (HDL). 
3. It improves your mood, cognitive abilities, memory, and quality of sleep. 
4. This aerobic activity is known to reduce stress and is a great outlet for tension too. 
5. Walking can help manage high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. 
6. Since walking and weight loss go hand in hand, the reduction in weight and consequently fat ensures you get healthier and leaner. 
7. Walking workout is a great way to strengthen bones and muscles. Your joints get exercise and the lubricating fluid between the joints ensures you don’t experience any pain. 
8. When you start walking, you may experience some soreness initially. You will build endurance over a period and you can keep increasing the distance you are walking slowly. 
9. Your “walking to lose weight plan” can work in 2 ways. One is the direct burning of calories as you walk. The other way is that your energy levels are high and you can accomplish more tasks. You feel less lethargic and more motivated to accomplish all your physical tasks. 
10. Walking is a great exercise for those who have limited mobility and have limitations regarding other exercises. 

Walking and weight loss improve the quality of life and allow you to live a longer life that is meaningful. 

How much should you walk daily to lose weight?

The calories you burn per hour while walking depend on various factors like age, sex, height, weight, speed of walking, and so on. The heavier you are and faster you are, the more calories you spend. The other factors include the kind of surface you are walking on. For example, at the gym, you can increase the incline on the treadmill and the calories you burn increase. 

Here is the table you can refer to if you wish to know how many calories will be burnt based on the weight and speed of a person. 

28 day walking plan for weight loss

When you are making a 28 day walking plan for weight loss here is a guiding format you can follow. You can change the format according to your requirements and limitations. 

1st week – 

1. 30-minutes steady walk that can serve as a warm-up for a workout post the walk
2. 1 mile of brisk walking followed by stretching
3. Enjoy a Pilates session and finish off the workout with a 40-minute walk
4. Take a rest!
5. 30-minutes steady walk
6. 30-minutes steady walk and 15 minutes of brisk walk
7. Power walking for 20 minutes

2nd week – 

1. A brisk walk for 20 minutes followed by yoga
2. A full body workout followed by a 40-minute walk
3. 35 minutes of brisk walking
4. Stretch yourself and power walk as much as you can
5. Time to rest!
6. 25 minutes of power walking
7. 20 minutes of a brisk walk, 20 minutes of steady 

3rd week – 

1. Steady walk for 40 minutes and push yourself as much as you can. Don’t forget to include a cool-down period of 5 to 10 minutes
2. After a power-packed workout finish with a 35 to 40-minute session of power walking
3. Rest day is here!
4. Use your arms while doing a steady walk for 40 minutes
5. Brisk walk this day and the goal should be at least 45 minutes
6. 30 minutes of brisk walk followed by a fat-burning session
7. 40 minutes of a steady walk

^{4th week -}

1. 6 km or 1 hour of brisk walk followed by mobility
2. Yoga and then a 30-minute steady walk
3. 30-minutes power walk and a 10-minute steady walk
4. Get some rest!
5. 20 minutes of a steady walk, 20 minutes of brisk walking followed by power walking (as much as you can)
6. 40 minutes of a steady walk
7. 1 hour of power walk

Also read about benefits of dates for diabetes

Bottomline

There may be multiple benefits but walking definitely helps in weight management. The management of diet is just as important and should be made a priority during this time. A calorie deficit diet is most recommended however a dietitian can properly guide you regarding a meal plan you can follow. 

FAQs

Can you lose weight by just walking?

Yes, you can lose weight by just walking provided you alter your diet and you finish the requisite number of steps or burn the required amount of calories. 

How much should I walk to lose 10 kg?

30 minutes a day of brisk walking or power walking 5 days a week can help you reduce up to 10 kgs.

Is walking everyday enough exercise?

Although walking is essential and one of the best exercises, do not forget to engage your arms and exercise them too when you are walking. 

Is it better to walk in the morning or evening?

There have been many studies conducted that have shown that morning walks energize you for the day, but evening walks ensure your cortisol levels lower causing you to relax and be stress-free.