It may be difficult to believe, but the answer is yes. You can lose weight by walking an hour a day. That’s right; it’s possible to burn calories and drop pounds while you’re on your morning stroll. If you’re looking for ways to slim down and feel good, walking an hour a day may be the perfect solution for you.
Walking is one of the simplest and most natural ways to get in exercise. In fact, it’s been shown to reduce chronic stress and improve overall health. According to the American Institute of Stress, exercise can help to reduce stress and improve mental health. It also helps to promote relaxation and sleep.
“Strolling restores your sense of peace and connects you to nature,” said yoga expert and fitness trainer Melody Morrison. “It’s a wonderful way to start your day, and it helps to keep your body active and moving through the different postures (yoga poses) while you think about what needs to be done that day.”
When you get moving, even if it’s for just an hour, your body temperature is likely to increase. Your heart rate will increase, too, which means you’re burning calories. Since most of your body’s calories are burned when you exercise, it’s the perfect opportunity to shed a few pounds. Walking an hour a day can help to reduce belly fat and improve your overall health.
How Do You Burn Calories Walking?
The way you burn calories while you walk is by breaking down fats and sugars as part of your body’s metabolic process, also known as the ‘thermal effect.’ As your body gets moving, the temperature of your muscles and organs rise. This causes your body to release hormones, chemicals and enzymes that burn fats and carbohydrates. Your heart beats faster, too, and it’s easier for your lungs to take in oxygen. This causes you to burn more calories.
When you get the mental and physical benefits of exercise, it’s no wonder why people have been known to lose 20 pounds in a month. Keep this up for a year, and you’ll be able to make a substantial difference to your health. Not bad for something as simple as walking!
Walking Improves Mental Health
If you think that walking can only improve physical health, you’d be sadly mistaken. According to research, doing any sort of activity that improves your heart rate and gets your body moving is likely to improve your mental health.
Walking an hour a day can reduce your risk of anxiety and depression by increasing your levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happier and calmer. Serotonin also helps to promote relaxation and restores your zest for living. So by getting moving, you’re likely to feel both physically and mentally healthier.
More Than Meets The Eye
If you’re interested in learning more about how walking an hour a day can help to improve your health and wellbeing, then check out our full guide by clicking the link below.
The guide provides tips on how to slim down and how to feel good while walking an hour a day. It also explains why this habit can be so beneficial to your health and offers a solution for those who want to lose weight without necessarily trying to change their lifestyle. So, if you’re looking for ways to improve your health and wellbeing, then consider trying out this simple and natural habit.
Start Small
If you’ve never tried to lose weight before, then begin with something simple. Aim to walk for 30 minutes a day at first. You might also want to add some weight training to your routine to kick start your metabolism. Even a very small increase in your daily expenditure will make a significant difference. Every little bit helps, and it’ll all add up!
Once you’ve established this routine, then gradually increase your walking time until you hit an hour a day. Once you’ve hit this point, it’ll be easier to increase your pace and start working your muscles. Remember: baby steps! Trying to change your entire lifestyle all at once is likely to cause you stress and overwhelm. Take it easy and do what you can. Walking an hour a day is worth it in the end.
Consider Your Surroundings
If you’re in a safe and pleasant environment, then it’s easier for your body to stay in a relaxed and natural position while you walk. This means your body is more likely to benefit from the workout. If you feel like you need to force yourself to workout because there’s nowhere pleasant to walk in, then you’re more likely to become tense which may cause you to injure yourself. Consider where you’ll walk and how you’ll feel after your walk. If possible, look for a wood or a scenic avenue. These are usually the best places to walk because you feel like you can go at your own pace without being rushed. If you’re in a city, consider taking your walk during the day when there’s lots of people about. This will make it easier to walk at a comfortable pace without feeling intimidated by aggressive walkers or distracted by the sights around you.
Make Sure You Drink Plenty Of Water
You’ll perish if you don’t drink enough fluids. Since you’re working out, you need to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Dehydration leads to cramps and ultimately to poor performance. If you’re already drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day, then there’s no reason to stop now. Just keep drinking!
Some people prefer to drink sparkling water while others prefer flat water. The key thing is that you drink enough in order to stay hydrated. You can also try buying a water bottle that keeps your beverages cold. This is very useful if you’re on the go a lot and don’t have the time to stop and get a drink. Keep your fluid levels high by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day, and you’re sure to see improvements in your health.
Many people think that they will put on weight while on a diet. This is the result of consuming fewer calories than their bodies need. This has several drawbacks. When you reduce your calorie intake too much, it’s extremely easy for your body to go into starvation mode. Starvation mode makes your body look for food even when you’ve had enough. This may lead to binge eating or other bad eating habits that put on weight quickly and without control.
If you want to lose weight, then there are better and easier ways to do it than by taking harsh, potentially dangerous supplements. Instead, look for natural weight loss remedies that work with your body’s metabolism and don’t cause any harm.
Use The Right Equipment
When you exercise, you need to make sure that your body is positioned correctly in order to get the most benefit from the activity. One of the most important things is weight distribution; it needs to be evenly distributed over your feet and ankles. When this is done properly, it’ll be much easier for your body to stay in a straight line while you walk and prevent unnecessary strain on your joints. If you want to avoid injury, then make sure that you do some research on the best gear to use before buying anything.
The type of clothing that you’ll want to wear is dependant on the season. If you’re outside in the fresh air, then you’ll want to make sure that you’re protected from the wind and the sun’s rays. For this reason, you’ll want to wear something like a wide brimmed hat and sunscreen everyday. After completing your walk, it’s important to make sure that your body is sufficiently cooled down before continuing with your activities. For this reason, you’ll want to wear light clothing and stay hydrated. You can also apply a cooling mist spray to your neck and face to reduce your body temperature and soothe your lungs.
There are several health advantages to walking an hour a day. The important thing is that you start moving now! Remember to drink plenty of water, spread your weight evenly over your feet and ankles, use the right equipment and make sure that your body is sufficiently cooled down after your workout.