Can walking more help you lose weight?

After being in our homes for that past few weeks, many of us have added on some unwanted pounds.  Now that the weather is better, can walking help you lose some of that weight?  Popsugar has a good article, “Yes, You Can Lose Weight Walking as Little as 30 Minutes a Day..”.  What are some keys to know about walking and weight loss?

1. Amount of time – note the article indicates walking 30 minutes a day.  Much research has shown that if you want to lose some fat, you need to exercise for more than 20 minutes.  So, a 30-minute walk is a great way to start.
2. How often?  Aim for walking and exercising for at least 150 minutes a week.  That breaks down to at least 21 minutes a day.  If you walk 30 minutes a day, you will meet and exceed the recommendation for 150 minutes a week of exercising.
3. How long?  One may not get quick weight loss by walking.  But a JAMA Internal Medicine article reported that without changing their diet, study subjects that walked 12 miles per week for eight months, not only lost weight but lost fat.  We don’t want to lose muscle when we lose weight, we want to lose fat tissue and walking did just that.  The control group that didn’t walk 12 miles a week, gained weight.  But when this group did start walking 30 minutes a day, they also lost weight.  A good goal for walking is 30 minutes a day. But if you don’t have time to do 30 minutes, then walk for 15 minutes twice a day or ten minutes, three times a day.  If you are just starting to walk, then start with a 10-minute walk and work up to 30 minutes or more a day.
4. Health benefits of walking – even if you aren’t interested in losing weight, walking provides a lot of health benefits.  Studies have found that regular physical activity, which includes walking, done consistently, is good for heart health by improving cholesterol levels and helping control blood pressure.  Not just physical health, but walking can improve your mental health by lowering anxiety and tension.  And walking increases the strength of your muscles and leads to stronger bones.  For those with diabetes or prediabetes, walking helps lower blood sugar levels.
5. How many steps a day?  Most people have heard of 10,000 steps a day which is a good goal.  Those who walk even more, at 15,000 steps a day can lower their Body Mass Index (BMI).  A study in England, found that people “who walk more and sit less have lower BMI’s”.   And the study noted that sitting less resulted in less of a stomach or less waist circumference.

I love to go for a walk every day.  For almost twenty years, I joined 2 friends for a long walk at lunch time.  Now, I enjoy a walk first thing every morning.  I find walking a good way to clear one’s head and an enjoyable time outside.  Make walking a habit.  Tell yourself, “At lunch this week I will take a 15-minute walk.”  Or, “After work this week, I will walk around the neighborhood for 20 minutes.”   Break up your routine by finding different places to walk.  Luckily, we have a park close by that has walking trails. We also have walking trails in our neighborhood.  Find places you enjoy and find new places to explore.

Sources:  article , week , goal , Health benefits , strength , BMI , study , habit   Image sources:   people walking , Benefits , habit