There are plenty of good reasons to choose walking as a way to exercise. A walk in scenic surroundings can be very pleasant. It can be a pleasant break in your day, giving you time to think and a change of scenery. It could be a social event with friends, family or colleagues. Walking has numerous health benefits which might interest you – and it’s a good deal easier to accommodate it in your daily schedule than some other types of exercise. It’s also a great way to get in shape and shed a little weight.
That could explain why you will often hear people ask “exactly how far do I need to walk to burn off X calories?” – or some variation. It’s a commonly asked question – but it overlooks one of the most beneficial elements of a walking exercise routine as a method of losing weight.
The great thing about walking for weight loss – or any other type of light exercise for that matter – is that, if it is performed on a regular and consistent basis, it will actually raise your metabolic rate. Or, to put it another way – the speed at which you use up calories throughout the day will rise.
Clearly, whilst you are actually taking exercise, you will burn calories. That is great of course – but what’s more, you are going to use up calories more rapidly throughout the day, not just when you’re actually taking exercise. Reading the daily newspaper, surfing the internet, listening to your favorite radio program – even when you’re sleeping – you will burn calories faster.
The important thing, if you want to achieve this higher burn rate, is to take your exercise on a regular and consistent basis. Due to the fact that walking is such a natural activity, you will do it, to some extent, practically every day. However, you should do a little extra at least three times a week if you want to boost your metabolism. Walking briskly for thirty minutes or so should suffice.
If you can do a little more, then that’s all to the good of course – but the most important thing is to have a consistent and regular approach. Low intensity, low impact, low injury risk exercise is, for the vast majority of people, a much better option than sporadic bursts of high intensity physical activity.
Walking is one of the most efficient exercises to lose weight that you can do. Over and above weight loss, you will achieve numerous other health benefits. For many people, instead of “going for the burn”, going for a walk might prove to be more beneficial, more sustainable and more enjoyable.
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