Losing weight is not just difficult - it’s one of the most difficult things to achieve. If it was, then the weight loss business wouldn’t be the multi-billion dollar industry that it is. Dieting is no fun whatsoever - you are required to deny yourself most of the things that you enjoy and it seems to take forever before you see any results.
If you would like to see results more quickly - and who wouldn’t - then the addition of exercise to your weight loss program makes a lot of sense. The great thing about exercise is that, not only will you burn extra calories simply because you are taking exercise, but the fact that you are exercising regularly will increase your metabolic rate. You will burn off calories more rapidly, even if you aren’t exercising but just going about your normal daily activities. Whether you’re sitting watching the television, reading a book, typing on your computer – or even sleeping – you will burn calories more rapidly than before you took exercise.
If you are over 40 years of age, if you have any medical conditions, or if you just haven’t exercised for a while, then you should seek the opinion of your doctor prior to taking up any new exercise program. As far as the best form of exercise to perform, you will hear a variety of suggestions from different sources. When all’s said and done, the optimum exercise plan for you is whatever you are able to do and will be able to motivate yourself to do on a consistent basis. It may very well be true that riding a racing bicycle at a speed of twelve miles per hour will burn off a lot more calories per hour than walking at 3.5 miles per hour or jogging at 5 miles per hour. However, it’s a pointless distinction if you really dislike cycling and won’t be able to motivate yourself to get in the saddle on a consistent and regular basis.
One of the very best starter exercises is walking. It’s something that everyone knows how to do and which requires no special equipment. It’s also a low impact form of exercise which carries an extremely low risk of injury and has a dropout rate which is very much smaller than most other exercise modes. You can pretty much fit it into your day whenever it suits you best – you can even increase your step count in two, three or even four mini sessions throughout the day if that’s what works best for you.
Don’t let the fact that walking is, relatively speaking, a low intensity workout make you think that it can’t deliver major health benefits for you. There seems to be general agreement amongst health professionals that walking 10,000 steps each day will deliver a whole host of health benefits - including weight loss. By the way, that is a total of 10,000 steps daily - and it includes all of your normal walking activity. Get hold of an Omron pedometer and keep track of exactly the number of steps that you take daily. It can also display the distance covered and the number of calories burned - if that is a better way to keep yourself motivated.
There’s no requirement to suddenly get up to the 10,000 step target all at once. Look for ways to build walking into your day and gradually work up to the target figure. You’ll be surprised how easy it is. Walk around when you’re chatting on your mobile phone - a 15 minute call will give you the opportunity to get an extra 1,000 steps in. Get off the bus a couple of stops before you reach your final destination and complete the final leg of your journey on foot. Use the stairs instead of the elevator from time to time. You will be surprised at just how rapidly this type of small change can ramp up your step count. You will be surprised and delighted at how quickly you will see and feel the benefits.
About the only other piece of equipment you need for a walking exercise program is a good comfortable pair of shoes. Make sure that your shoes don’t give you blisters or cause any discomfort when you walk in them. Otherwise, it will be difficult to motivate yourself to walk further. Should you wish, you can use the latest design of exercise footwear. Shoes such as Reebok Easy Tones, Skechers Shape Ups and Fit flops sandals are all engineered to boost the amount of work done by the muscles in your lower body. They increase the effectiveness of your walking exercise program and help to tone your lower body even faster.
Whatever exercise you decide to adopt, and however you choose to fit it into your daily routine, the key thing is consistency. A little extra effort, performed consistently, will assist you to burn off calories more quickly - both by exercising itself and by raising your metabolic rate. You’ll achieve results very much faster than by dieting alone and - more importantly - you will feel great.
