If anyone tells you that you can lose weight while staying fit and healthy without moving about, they obviously have no training in the field of fitness! Common sense should tell you that in order to burn more calories you get from the food you eat, you must do some moving, whether walking for weight loss or other exercise. We all can learn from the law of thermodynamics – that energy can either be created or stored, but it CANNOT be destroyed. So, in the case of not exercising, because your body will not be producing energy, it will store excess calories as fat. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that exercise is closely related to fitness!
I know that many people panic at the very thought of ‘exercise’. But don’t worry, it isn’t necessary to squander your money or energy at an expensive gym, nor is it necessary to spend hours jogging or running marathons. All that is really needed, in fact, to lose unwanted pounds and keep healthy and fit hassle-free, is to maintain a healthy diet and to engage in a regular walking program, either nature walking or treadmill walking if you can’t get outside.
Unless you are absolutely lame or too old to stand erect, you should be able to tackle a walking routine with little trouble. Walking is one exercise which virtually anyone can do, whether an 8-year old child or an 80-year old veteran!
A person benefits in a number of ways from walking. Firstly, it keeps your muscles moving, and both our bones and muscles are kept fit and healthy by keeping them moving. Secondly, you are more likely to be outside in the sunlight enjoying the fresh air when you’re taking a walk, and both of these are good for your health and your mood!
Thirdly, walking helps to relieve stress and depression through the release of endorphins, and it helps to clear your mind. You may have noticed that when you go for a walk your worries seem to just fade away, you can think more clearly, and you become better at problem solving.
And fourthly, walking is cheap! In fact, there are indeed free ways to lose weight, and walking is one of them! You can do treadmill walking of course, if that’s what you prefer, but no special equipment or fancy gadgets are really needed except a pair of comfortable athletic shoes, and you’re ready to hit the walking trail in style.
If you have never done a lot of walking to lose weight, the biggest obstacle for almost everyone seems to be keeping one’s self motivated to get out there and move every single day. It’s so easy to tell ourselves that it’s too cold, too hot, too wet, too whatever! You might even have to brave conditions that would make it tempting to just stay inside in your comfort zone.
But the more you push yourself to get out there and walk, the easier it becomes, until it will eventually become a habit for you that you will actually look forward to doing each day. Studies show that it takes about 21 days of repeating an activity before it becomes a habit, and walking is no different. Once the habit is formed, walking each day will become second nature to you.
Many people visit the gym or get their exercise on equipment they already have at home, which is fine, but you miss so much by not getting at least part of your exercise outside walking and just enjoying nature. Nothing helps to maintain a healthy mind and body like enjoying nature, fresh air and sunlight. The calories you will be burning is icing on the cake! If the weather doesn’t permit or there are other circumstances prohibiting you from outside walking treadmill workouts are fine, but walk outside when possible.
And now the bitter truth about walking for weight loss. Unfortunately, regardless of the amount of walking you do, until and unless you change your unhealthy eating habits, you won’t see much difference in your body weight. If regular walking is important, equally important is getting rid of junk foods in your diet, replacing that stuff with healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables! Junk foods are terrible for your digestive system as well as your overall health. The body’s hormonal equilibrium is lost when you eat junk and rubbish, and this can cause you to gain weight and lose energy and precious vitality.
So, regardless of whether you have a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just want to snack, always eat only natural and organic foods. Also make sure you always eat fresh foods as stale foods could do more harm than good to your body!
And lastly, jump on that treadmill or get outside. Whichever you decide works better for you, just get out there and start your walking exercise routine today!