According to research published in the journal BMC Public Health, a walk outdoors is better for your body and mind than pounding the treadmill.
This is not only a cheap option, but is also easier on your joints. While running and gymming are also intensity-based work outs that target muscle groups, studies say it is walking that beats all else.
It is true that strength training and walking are both forms of physical activity. Both have their own unique benefits, but neither can replace the other.
Walking for 30 minutes a day or more on most days of the week is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. If you can't manage 30 minutes a day, remember even short walks more frequently can be beneficial. Walking with others can turn exercise into an enjoyable social occasion.
Physical activity, such as walking, is important for weight control because it helps you burn calories. If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you'll burn.
The short answer is yes. “Walking is just as good as any other form of exercise,” says University Hospitals pediatric sports medicine specialist Laura Goldberg, MD. “The guidelines are 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week. It doesn't really matter how you get that.
While the morning walk energizes you for the day, an evening walk actually does the opposite, helping your body naturally lower cortisol levels and feel less stressed.
Blood sugar levels are at their lowest in the morning, which makes it an appropriate time for exercise and in this case, walking. Kick starting your day with a brisk walk can not only regulate your body-cycle for the day, but also facilitate an early to rise, early to bed mindset.
Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.
Immediate effects of exercise include “increased blood flow to the skin and increased lymph flow, which decreases eye puffiness,” says Leslie Baumann, MD, a dermatologist in Miami and author of The Skin Type Solution. So long as you aren't managing an underlying skin condition, you're left with a more radiant glow.
Walking is particularly effective for toning your legs and bum, she adds. “The muscles you use when walking include your calf muscles, thighs and buttocks, so these areas will become more toned and shapely.” However, walking may not tone all areas of the body.
As a result, the CDC recommend that most adults aim for 10,000 steps per day . For most people, this is the equivalent of about 8 kilometers, or 5 miles.
If you plan to walk for 4 miles (or 6.4 km) a day, you will begin to lose weight almost immediately. But along with your exercise routine, you need to maintain a balanced and healthy diet so that you don't put on the calories you're working hard to burn.
Drawbacks of Morning Exercise
And there are other drawbacks to walking in the morning. Body temperature is at its lowest one to three hours before awakening, making the morning a time of naturally lower energy and blood flow. Cold, stiff muscles may be more prone to injury.
Getting up and heading out for a morning walk is great for your mental health. Most studies show that walking 20 to 30 minutes or more has the best results. Staying consistent 5 days or more each week is also important.
Avoid an Empty Stomach
You should have at least a light snack before morning exercise as your body has been fasting all night. Even if you are a person who normally skips breakfast, a small amount of nutrition can help to fuel your walk and provide you with energy.
For example, regular brisk walking can help you: Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat. Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Improve cardiovascular fitness.
Walking for 30 minutes at a brisk pace covers a distance of 2.0 to 2.5 km and burns about 125 calories (520 kiloJoules). This amount may not seem like much, but if you walked five days a week within one year you would burn over 32,000 calories which would burn off more than 5 kg of fat.
After 3-4 days of walking: you will notice the “better fit” or more room in your clothes! After 7 days of walking: real changes are happening! You have used body fat as energy (fat burning!) Muscles feel more toned!
How Long Does It Take to Walk Off 10 Pounds? How much weight you can lose from walking depends on your current weight, diet and activity level. We recommend losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week for sustainable weight loss, which means you could potentially lose 10 pounds in five weeks.
As compared to slow jogging, fast walking will not burn as many calories, but it can still aid you in your weight loss journey. It is a low impact exercise, which is why not only does it reduce your risk of injury, but it is one of the best cardio workouts for those with joint pain and pre-existing injury.
How much should I walk to lose 10 kg? 30 minutes a day of brisk walking or power walking 5 days a week can help you reduce up to 10 kgs.