A Guide To Walking For Weight Loss

1. Walking combats ageing and can add seven years to your life

   How's that for a benefit? Research presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) followed 69 subjects between the ages of 30 and 60, and found that moderate exercise, including brisk walking, yielded anti-ageing benefits that could extend life by 3-7 years per person.[1]

   While this anti-ageing affect extends to other forms of workouts, simply going for walks is enough to get this benefit. Getting up for a regular walk might just keep you younger, and alive, for longer.

2. When you're walking, you're not sitting - and that might save your life

   It's a little-known fact that sitting for extended periods of time is one of the unhealthiest things you can do to yourself.

   A 2015 meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that sitting for 8 or more hours a day increased Type II Diabetes risk by 90%, and also significantly increased the risks of heart disease, various cancers, and all-cause mortality (in other words, your overall risk of death).[2]

   That's all pretty horrifying stuff, especially considering that so many of us spend our days sitting in front of a PC or TV screen.

   But at least if you get your evening gym session in you won't have to worry about all that, right?
   Nope, afraid it's still a problem. According to the American Heart Association, your gym session isn't enough to offset the harm done by all that sitting around.[3]

   Fortunately, though, there is a straightforward way of fighting back against those health risks. You guessed it; it's by getting up and walking around.

   One 2015 study from the US found that getting up and walking around for even 2 minutes each hour could extend your lifespan by up to 33% compared to those who stay seated.[4]

3. A short walk each day may be enough to promote fat loss and keep the pounds off

   HIIT sprint training is a great way to shed pounds, but just because you don't break a sweat on a short walk doesn't mean it's not doing a good job of promoting weight loss, too.
   One study comparing the effects of a 30-minute daily walk (plus diet), a 60-minute daily walk (plus diet), and dieting alone, concluded that the 30 minute and 60 minute walks both yielded roughly the same benefits for weight loss. Blood pressure was also lowered, in addition to various other health benefits.[5]

   In this study, both lengths of walk were found to be superior for weight loss and overall health than merely dieting alone.

   What's more, research has shown that there's a clear correlation between low-level physical activity throughout the day and a healthier BMI -- with women who averaged 60 minutes of moderate physical activity each day gaining significantly less weight over an extended period of time than those who didn't.[6]

   The conclusion? Walking is good for you! Not only can going for a daily walk be the perfect complement to your overall fat loss efforts, but it may even prevent you from getting to the point where you need to shed the pounds in the first place.

• How long do you have? One of the key differences is the speed with which you can gain results - running burns approximately double the amount of calories that walking does, so a brisk walk may have the same benefits as a run, but you'll need to walk for longer to achieve them.

  For example, a 30-minute run may burn the same number of calories as an hour-long walk, so if you're tighter on time, perhaps a run could be more beneficial.

• Are you prone to weak or sore joints? While running can help to strengthen your muscles and joints, it's a high impact exercise and actually places stress on your knees, hips, and ankles.

  If you have an injury or weakness in these areas, then walking may be far more comfortable and gentle for you. People with higher body mass may find running harder on their joints and prefer walking.

• Do you actually enjoy running? If you're hoping to build a decent fitness routine and lose some weight, consistency (for both exercise and diet) is key. So the form of exercise that will provide the most benefits is the one you're most likely to stick to.

  Running may not be for you, in which case committing to hitting your walking steps each day is going to be much better for helping you reach your goals. And vice versa of course - if you get a bit bored walking, but love the endorphin rush of a run, then that could be the better option for you.

• Ditch the car

  The first and most obvious way to get more walking done is to commute by foot if you live within walking distance of your job. Failing that, you can still add some walking to your regular commute by parking a bit further away from your office and walking the rest of the way, or by walking to a nearby café, park or restaurant to enjoy your lunch, instead of hanging around the office or catching the bus into town.

• Make it a daily event

  If you have a busy family life, consider adding a regular walk in the afternoon, when everyone's home, and take your kids or partner along with you. That way you all get some exercise together while enjoying some bonding time.

• Start the day with a walk

  Prefer to spend some alone time first thing in the morning? Why not go out for an early morning walk in a safe area! You'll get the day started with a clear head, and you can enjoy listening to the sounds of the world waking up around you. If you'd prefer, you could load an audiobook or playlist onto your phone and let your imagination carry you along.