Physical activity, such as walking, provides several health benefits, including weight control. Walking burns calories, but the number of calories burned during walking depends on various factors, such as the intensity, duration, your weight, and the speed of walking.
How can walking help maximize calorie burning for weight loss? Check out the review in the following article.
Tips for Weight Loss with Walking
Adding a 30-minute fast walk to your daily routine is a good way to boost your body's calorie burn. A 30-minute fast walk burns around 150 calories. So, here are some ways you can maximize your calorie burn during your walking workout:
Increase the rate of walking
Accelerating the tempo or speed of walking is a highly efficient method to optimize calories burned during walking exercises. Similar to other forms of aerobic exercise, increasing your walking speed will result in higher energy consumption. As a result, you will expend a greater amount of energy in the form of calories instead of regular walking.
Wearing a weight vest
Weight vests can help increase calorie burning during exercise. A weight vest is a type of additional resistance where the vest puts extra weight on the body during exercise to increase intensity. This makes the body work harder, forcing the muscles to work harder and automatically every movement performed will require more energy.
The weight of the vest needs to be adjusted according to fitness level. It is important to remember that too much weight can increase the risk of injury so there is no need to choose a weight that is too heavy.
In walking or running sports, it is not recommended to use weights on the wrists or feet, which can impair the body's natural posture and cause muscle imbalances. In addition, you should consult your doctor if you want to exercise with a weight vest. Adults with health problems with the back or neck should not wear weight vests.
Walking upwards
Walking upwards regularly is an effective way to increase calorie burn. Walking upwards will exercise different muscle groups in the body and further increase strength and endurance.
Avoid leaning forward or backward when walking uphill to avoid injury. Walk within your body's ability to speak without gasping. Before moving uphill, walk 5 minutes on a flat surface. Maintain an upright torso and a slight knee bend. Walking upwards can be practiced as a variety of workouts two or three times each week; it is not necessary to do it daily
Be careful of your posture
It is also important to focus on good posture while walking to improve training efficiency, prevent injuries, and deliver better results. When walking, there are several important points to maintain good form and posture, including:
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- Maintaining an inwardly focused concentration
- Tightens abdominal and buttock muscles during walking
- Relaxing the shoulders to reduce neck and shoulder strain
- Maintain a natural stride where the stride length is neither too long nor too short. A long stride length can put excessive stress on the joints, while a short stride length can reduce walking efficiency.
- Maintain an upright posture with a straight back; avoid leaning forward or backward too much.
- Use your arms to balance your body by gently swinging your hands if you want to walk faster.
- Breathe regularly and deeply to get enough oxygen
In addition to focusing on proper posture and walking technique, you also need to remember that you need to combine exercise with regulating your calorie intake through a balanced diet. If you are struggling with weight management, you should consult a doctor or nutritionist who can provide advice according to your condition. If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
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- dr. Alvidiani Agustina Damanik
Jenna Fletcher (2023). What to know about walking for weight loss. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325809
Jill Corleone, RD (2022). Walking for Weight Loss. Available from: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-long-should-you-walk-to-lose-weight-3432706
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. (2022). Can I lose weight if my only exercise is walking?. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/walking/faq-20058345
Travis Edwards, PT, MPT (2021). Your Guide to Exercising with Weighted Vests. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/weighted-vest-benefits