In fact, walking isn’t just good for you — it’s one of the easiest forms of exercise to incorporate into your day-to-day life.
Forget crunches. For a workout that really flattens your belly, get up and move your feet. Studies show walking is one of the best ways to shed belly fat, in less time than you think. Researchers reviewed 40 years of studies on exercise and belly fat and found that just 2 1/2 hours of brisk walking a week--about 20 minutes a day--can shrink your belly by about 1 inch in 4 weeks.
Benefits of walking for weight loss:
It makes you happy
Walking boosts your mood. Many studies have shown that the more steps you make every day, the happier you will be. Why? When you walk, the body releases natural endorphins which help you have a greater sense of calm and well-being. Many people (including me) claim that walking helps clear their minds. No doubts.
It helps you lose weight
Being physically active is very important for both your weight loss and your health. However not everyone wants to go to the gym or get a personal trainer. Luckily, simply a walking workout at a brisk pace is always an option!
It Helps Preserve Lean Muscle
When people cut calories and lose weight, they often lose some muscle in addition to body fat.
This can be counterproductive, as muscle is more metabolically active than fat. This means it helps you burn more calories each day.
Exercise, including walking, can help counter this effect by preserving lean muscle when you lose weight.
This can help reduce the drop in metabolic rate that often occurs with weight loss, making your results easier to maintain .
What’s more, it can reduce age-related muscle loss, helping you retain more of your muscle strength and function .
The Fat-Burning Zone
The fat-burning zone is reached when you exercise at an intensity where your heart rate is 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. In this zone of exercise intensity, 85 percent of your calories burned are fats, 5 percent are proteins and 10 percent are carbohydrates.
The heart rate range for this zone varies by your age. You can use a chart of heart rate zones by age to find the right numbers. Take your pulse while exercising to check your heart rate. There are also heart rate apps for your cell phone and pulse monitors built into many fitness bands and smartwatches.
The fat burning zone can be achieved with a brisk walking pace. In this zone, you will be breathing heavier, feeling increased exertion, and probably sweating, but you are still able to carry on a conversation. If you find your heart rate is still below 60 percent of your maximum, work on walking faster by using good posture, arm motion, and a powerful stride. You can also add hills, stairs, or use fitness walking poles.
The fat-burning zone is reached when you exercise at an intensity where your heart rate is 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. In this zone of exercise intensity, 85 percent of your calories burned are fats, 5 percent are proteins and 10 percent are carbohydrates.
The heart rate range for this zone varies by your age. You can use a chart of heart rate zones by age to find the right numbers. Take your pulse while exercising to check your heart rate. There are also heart rate apps for your cell phone and pulse monitors built into many fitness bands and smartwatches.
The fat burning zone can be achieved with a brisk walking pace. In this zone, you will be breathing heavier, feeling increased exertion, and probably sweating, but you are still able to carry on a conversation. If you find your heart rate is still below 60 percent of your maximum, work on walking faster by using good posture, arm motion, and a powerful stride. You can also add hills, stairs, or use fitness walking poles.
How Long to Walk to Burn Fat
You need at least 45 minutes of walking in the fat-burning zone to get your body to burn stored fat. Walking additional minutes will burn more stored fat.
The Bottom Line
Walking is a moderate-intensity exercise that can be easily incorporated into your daily life.
Simply walking more often can help you lose weight and belly fat, as well as provide other excellent health benefits, including a decreased risk of disease and improved mood.
In fact, walking just one mile burns about 100 calories.
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