26/07/2022
15 Helpful Things To Know About Walking For Weight Loss
Simple and effective, but there are more nuances to walking than you think.
In my journey for weight loss, this past month it’s been at a bit of a standstill. It started early this month when my left foot felt swollen and was experiencing some pain and since then this dull pain has persisted.
It has been three weeks.
It’s at a point where I’m getting it checked out but that won’t be until the 9th of August. Until then I’ve taken up my dad’s suggestion that he proposed to me a few days ago.
Get outside and go for some walks.
He’s not wrong as usually I spend a large portion of my day sitting though it hasn’t gotten to this point where it affects my health this much. This whole instance is odd especially since I was heavier before all this and never experienced any of these issues.
So why now?
Regardless, I’m making a point of getting up and moving around more. This is on top of going for these walks as well. But my dad’s suggestion got me curious about walking techniques as he suggested I walk up and down a hill rather than walk on a flat road.
I know with steepness, you’re going to be burning more calories and such, but the advice hints that there are more nuances to walking.
That walking can be even more effective than just walking in nature or just walking in general. So here are some interesting things that I found that can help with leveraging more out of walks — and by extension jogging and sprinting.
The More Weight The Better
Larger people like me won’t have to worry about this as the excess weight requires us to use more energy to move in the first place. That said, if you are on the lighter side or you’re in the process of losing weight, you can “maintain” that heavier weight on walks by looking into weighted vests or filling a backpack with hardcover books.
Science also backs this up as one study found that 12% more calories were burned when someone wore a weighted vest — or other weighted gear — that covered 15% of their weight compared to those who didn’t.
When extra weight is involved though, do make a point of checking with your doctor first.
Put More Emphasis On Form
Even though we walk all the time, it is still a form of movement and there is a proper form and posture that should be maintained. This form should be:
Looking ahead at all times
Tighten abdominal muscles and glutes
Taking long strides
And have your shoulders down
A simple technique like this helps in building strength and prevents injuries in the process.
Put Resistance Training In
If you liked the weighted gear idea but it’s not suitable for you for whatever reason, this is a good alternative. You still need to be mindful of form, but doing other exercises like resistance training can be helpful.
These exercises do not need to be complicated at all. Some exercises include:
Squats
Pushups
Tricep dips
And lunges
Can Always Opt For Shorter Walks
We’ve all heard the health recommendation of taking 10,000 steps per day. While that’s a good benchmark, people like myself think it might be best to knock that out in one big long walk.
But that doesn’t need to be the norm.
It’s actually not that bad to go for shorter walks over the course of the day. Some say doing these shorter walks three times per day is better.
Find Other Creative Methods To Walk
I’ve mentioned in the past something I call “purposeful walking” and that can be helpful here. Purposeful walking can take all kinds of forms:
Walking up stairs instead of using an elevator
Parking further away from a store or place of work or school. Better yet walking to those places
Walking to other events early rather than driving there whenever it’s reasonable.
When taking a break, go for a walk instead of sitting somewhere else or to continue sitting
Stretch Before And After
Even though walking isn’t that intensive of an exercise, stretching helps with range of motion and you’ll be able to get more from your walking when doing this. This is on top of stretching reduces injury because of it.
Make a point of moving muscles and joints in your legs and hold positions for a period of time. Focusing on quadriceps, triceps, and hamstrings are all very helpful.
Adding Short Jogs Or Runs
By short I mean like 10 seconds between two-minute intervals of walking. This is ideal if you find yourself walking on a lot of flat ground rather than on an incline as this boosts the intensity.
Have Water With You For Longer Walks
If you’re still opting for those longer walks, be sure to bring a water bottle with you. Water is helpful regardless, but bringing it with you is better than being dehydrated during. It can also help these days considering the intense heat we’re dealing with.
Do Some Planning Before The Walks
Planning doesn’t always have to be opening a map app and planning out your entire route and setting specific times. In some cases, the planning is developing a system that encourages you to go for a walk in the first place. It can be tapping into some inner motivation.
I consider planning as anything that makes it easier for you to do whatever it is you want to be doing.
Do Catch-Up Calls With People
Another neat idea I remember is simply calling up someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Thanks to so many people wearing earbuds — and that technology existing — you can remove the need of holding your phone up to your ear the entire time while you’re walking.
Invest in some earbuds and use these walks as opportunities to maintain friendships or call loved ones.
Have Gear Fitting For Any Scenario
Too hot? Too cold? Raining outside? There is a lot of gear available that deals with these situations. Remove those excuses and have these prepared.
Still Have A Snack
As said before, walking isn’t that intense of an exercise, but it still is an exercise nonetheless. As such, you want to be mindful of the timing of snacks or food intake in general. If you’re going to walk for over an hour, have a snack at least an hour before going out.
Be A Walking Buddy
I remember there is guy in the states who started a business around this concept. We already have people who get paid to wait in lines for other people’s stuff here and there.
So being hired on as a walking buddy is a nifty idea and a good way of getting a lot of extra walking in if you want to turn this into a business idea.
Get On A Treadmill If All Else Fails
Some people default to walking on treadmills rather than walking outdoors. And while a treadmill can be helpful and more convenient, you’re missing out on a number of other benefits.
Using a treadmill should be used as a last resort as walking around town or in nature filled areas can bring in more intensity. This is on top of the fact that being out in nature is a nice bonus.
Mix Up Terrain You’re Walking On
For now, I’m sticking to a sidewalk, but varying it based on inclines. This will do for now, but for many others consider changing the terrain often. Walk on grass or gravel from time to time on top of mixing up inclines.
Walking is one of those exercises that is undervalued and overlooked when it is an actual valid solution to weight loss. I get that considering the fact that we do walk every day.
But because of that, we tend to take it for granted and develop the idea that walking isn’t good enough for weight loss. It’s not enough to burn an insane amount of calories or makes you sweat.
Well, the back of my shirt from walking yesterday says otherwise.
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