Is Your Best Weight Loss Secret Going for a Walk?

When it comes to weight loss, other than reducing your calories, what’s the one thing people hate? I’ll give you three guesses, and the first two don’t count. If you said cardio, you are absolutely correct. People assume you need to become best friends with the treadmill and spend hours each day running like a hamster on a wheel. Luckily, that’s not the case. In fact, going for a walk could be your best weight loss option. No, I’m not kidding. Here are eight reasons why you should consider going for a walk as your primary source of aerobic exercise.

1. You Can Boost Your Metabolism

Simply getting off the couch and going for a walk is enough to kickstart your metabolism and get things revving. Will you burn the same number of calories in a specific timeframe (say 30 minutes) as when compared to something more intense? No, but it’s definitely better than not doing any cardio at all.

Related Article: Can Short Walks Crush Your Sugar Cravings?

In addition to going for a walk, get up, and move more throughout the day. That means walking to a class across campus if you’re a student versus driving or walking down the hall to a co-worker’s office rather than sending an email or calling them. The more movement you can do during the day, the more calories you can burn.

2. It’s Low Intensity

One thing that bothers people is the pounding they take on their joints when they do any type of high-intensity cardio. That means running, sprints, HIIT, plyometrics, etc. Being that going for a walk is low intensity, you will find there is less pounding taking place on your joints. That means your knees, hips, and ankles will thank you.

When you have joint issues from the ground and pound work done through other forms of cardio, not only does it take a toll on your body, but mentally you can feel beat down due to the constant pain throughout the day, which is no fun.

3. It’s a Great Starting Point

For many, they don’t know where to start in their weight loss journey. Sure, maybe they’ve done a little bit here and there, but nothing serious and consistent. That’s the problem. If you can’t fit your cardiovascular activity into your lifestyle easily, you’re less likely to continue it.

For instance, if you enjoy swimming as a form of cardio, you either need the weather outside to be nice or have access to an indoor pool. In the end, it’s not really something that can easily be implemented as you’re constantly crossing your fingers for warm weather or access to a pool if you don’t have one at your home.

Going for a walk is something you can do all year round if you wish (you may just need to bundle up a little more in the colder months). But overall, going for a walk is a great way to ease your way into a weight loss plan.

4. You Don’t Need Fancy Equipment or Memberships

Not everyone has the means or the disposable income to go out and buy a piece of cardio or gym equipment or even go out and get a gym membership somewhere. The good news is that going for a walk is free.

You don’t need any fancy equipment or monthly gym memberships where you need to drive to the location to use the facility. By simply opening your front door and going for a walk, you have the freedom and ability to do this at any time of day — whenever it is convenient for you and your schedule.

5. There is a Low Likelihood of Injury

Nothing can set you back more than an injury that has you lying in bed for weeks if not months. Going for a walk is one of the least risky forms of cardio you can do. With high-intensity versions, all it takes is one little tweak of the movement or mechanics, and it can turn into snap city in a hurry. Pulled muscles, twisted ankles, even the potential for broken bones if your body is not strong enough to carry your body weight, and you are engaging in pounding movements that put a lot of force on the bones of your body.

With going for a walk, slow and steady wins the race. The longer you can continue to do an exercise, the better off you will be. Don’t cut yourself short by pushing yourself too hard and potentially causing an injury.

6. You Get to Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Unless you hate nature or have some really crazy allergies, getting outside and going for a walk can do as much good for your body as it can for your mind. We are all under a ton of stress in our everyday lives, that it’s nice to escape and unwind for a little bit. What better way to do this than going for a walk outside and enjoying nature? This can be around your neighborhood, a hiking trail, around a lake, through the woods, on a beach, or anywhere your heart desires.

If you enjoy this cardio method, you’re more likely to want to go do it. Therefore, your adherence will improve, you’ll be more consistent, and you’ll actually look forward to going for a walk and fitting in your cardio session.

7. It Won’t Make You Overly Sore

If you’ve ever done an intense HIIT workout involving sprints, you know all too well that the following day is not going to be pleasant. You may feel like you were hit by a bus. Your knees hurt, your legs hurt, your feet hurt, you just… HURT. Being overly sore will cause you to skip days, and when you skip days, you may fall off the wagon and never get back on. Not to mention, if you don’t enjoy doing the cardio you are (such as HIIT), you’re less likely to want to do it.

By going for a walk, you minimize your risk of soreness. Now, if you’re completely out of shape and don’t do any type of physical activity at all, you may find some soreness the following day(s). However, it will be nothing near as bad as if you did hill sprints or something with a higher intensity. With the potential for not being sore, you’ll be more willing to make it a daily habit — such as going for a walk after dinner (which segues us nicely into our final topic).

8. You Can Get Your Whole Family Involved

Last on our list could be the most rewarding. Going for a walk can be a family affair. You can gather up the whole family and go for a walk after dinner. This will not only allow you to get in some good cardio, but you’ll get to bond and talk to your family (or your dog).

By being a role model and showing your kids that exercise can be fun, and by you leading the charge, they are more willing to follow in your footsteps. Now, not only are you getting in shape, but you’re helping get your entire family in shape too. You are now a team, and assuming your kids find it fun, they’ll be on you if you are slacking, and don’t mention your daily family walk. It’s an excellent way to help keep yourself accountable and stay on track with your weight loss goals.

Overall, as you can see from the above, going for a walk has many benefits when it comes to weight loss. You don’t need to go crazy with a bunch of intense forms of cardio. By simply getting up, moving more, and putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll see that your weight loss goal is more than attainable.

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