How Much Should You Walk a Day to Lose Weight?

If you’re looking to drop a few pounds, you’ve probably heard of the “Walk for 90 days and drop a dress size” program. Popularized by celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson, the approach encourages users to log at least nine hours of physical activity every day for 30 days. If you’re interested in giving it a try, read on – because here’s the thing: the approach may work for Anderson, but it’s not recommended for everyone.

The Basics

The foundation of the “Walk for 90 days and drop a dress size” program is the Walk for 90 Days plan, which encourages users to walk for at least 90 days – and preferably more – in order to shed a few pounds. As the name suggests, the plan involves walking, and it doesn’t require any equipment. If you’re worried about weighing yourself down, you can also use body weight to workout, as long as you make sure not to push yourself too hard.

Walking is an easy way to stay active. It doesn’t require expensive gym memberships or eating special diets, so it’s suitable for everybody. If you’re looking to give it a try, start out easy by taking a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood. You can also check out some of the local parks, which are free to use, for some fresh air and relaxation.

Benefits

When you walk, your body gets a decent workout, as you engage in brisk walking for several minutes. This increases your heart rate and gets the blood circulating throughout your body. By promoting both cardiac and pulmonary functions, walking is said to be good for your overall health. It also helps with weight loss, as you burn calories while moving around. In fact, the simple act of taking a walk can help you lose a few pounds. Just make sure that you don’t overdo it and push yourself too much. Otherwise, you’ll end up in a situation where even walking becomes difficult.

For those who already lead a healthy lifestyle, taking a walk once or twice a week may not seem like a great idea. Since the approach encourages you to walk for 90 days, you may wonder if it’s worth it. While there’s no clear evidence that the program is dangerous, it’s still not recommended for anyone with knee problems or those who are recovering from a heart attack. In these cases, it’s better to avoid walking and go for a jog instead. Just make sure that you’re comfortable with your doctor before starting any new workout program, especially if you’re concerned about your health.

Risks

Of course, even going for a walk can have risks. If you’re not used to walking, it may be difficult to get a workout without feeling that you’re harming yourself. If you have knee problems or are recovering from a heart attack, you should proceed with caution, as discussed above. One of the things that makes the “Walk for 90 days and drop a dress size” program so intriguing is that it’s a short-term solution to weight loss. While you’re likely to lose weight during the program, you may end up keeping it off for a while, as gaining weight is more difficult once you’ve lost it. This is one of the reasons why the approach is not recommended for everyone.

Even if you’ve been active your whole life, it’s still not time to give up on good old fashioned gym workouts just yet. If you’re interested in trying the approach, be sure to consult with your doctor before starting so that you can get a better sense of how your body is doing. If you proceed and lose a significant amount of weight, you may wonder if it’s worth it, since there are no clear risks involved with the approach. If the benefits are balanced out by the risks, it’s probably not a great idea to try it. Or, at least, not without first getting some professional help. Walking is still considered safe and healthy, but it’s not the same as going to the gym.

Should You Try It?

The bottom line is that while walking is good for your health and can help you lose weight, it’s not for everybody. The same goes for the “Walk for 90 days and drop a dress size” program. Even if you’ve been active your whole life and feel that you’ve never needed to lose a pound, it may still not be the best idea for you to try the program. If you’re not sure whether or not you should give it a go, ask your doctor or a fitness professional for advice. They may be able to suggest some alternatives that could be more suitable for your personal situation. Or, at least, help you understand what is going on.

The choice is ultimately your own, but if you’re looking for a proven way to shed some weight, it may not be the best option for you. Instead, you could opt for one of the many weight loss programs available, which have been proven to be effective. Remember, though, that there are various reasons why a specific approach might not work for you. If you’re not sure whether or not the “Walk for 90 days and drop a dress size” program is right for you, ask your doctor or a fitness professional for advice. They may be able to suggest some alternatives that could be more suitable for your personal situation. Or, at least, help you understand what is going on.