Walking for weight loss & wellbeing

Click to enlarge

Sweating it out with tough training sessions may be an effective way to eliminate excess weight - particularly when combined with a calorie controlled diet - but blasting our body with gruelling gym workouts isn't the only answer to ousting an accumulation of additional weight.

Here's how to turn a simple stroll into a walking workout that is free, functional and fantastic for fighting the flab...

1. Increase the intensity with an uphill hike.
Although this forceful form of fitness may see you struggling to sustain stamina - particularly if you're new to physical activity and/or still have excess weight to eliminate - increasing the intensity of your walking workout by tackling the tough terrain of an uphill hike will not only blast body fat (cardio) and build muscle mass (resistance), but boost your balance when walking downhill:

• Cardio - aside from its ability to aid weight loss by eliminating excess energy, regular cardio sessions also improve stamina by strengthening the cardiovascular system.
• Resistance - walking with an incline instantly creates a body weighted workout that can build muscular strength and endurance.
• Balance - the body is forced to work harder walking downhill as it battles to maintain balance.

2. Speed up a simple stroll.

Picking up the pace with speedy strides is a functional form of fitness that blasts body fat, raises the heart rate, boosts breathing and breaks a slight sweat without the worry of over exertion. In fact, pounding the pavement with a power walk is such an effective way to eliminate excess weight that it has been branded one of the best aerobic activities for bigger bodied individuals who are looking to execute a low-impact exercise regime - power walking can be personalised to suit strength and stamina, as well as adjusted in accordance to physical ability.

3. Tackle tougher terrain.

Although tackling the tougher terrain of a tricky trail may benefit the body and brain by eliminating excess energy, boosting balance and forcing you to focus on your footing - benefits that can also be achieved by walking backwards - this fun form of fitness can also work wonders for your wellbeing by soothing psychological stress - trails are often surrounded by stunning scenery that stimulates the senses and eases erratic emotions - and allowing you to take time out of civilization to reflect and reconnect.

Top tip: a new exercise regime should be based on sustainability, not speed, strength and/or stamina. Don't be ashamed to start slow (and steady) by splitting a simple stroll into smaller segments until you can sustain the strength and stamina to tackle tougher terrain and training, and stop if you experience any exercise induced pain and/or discomfort.

www.twitter.com/BunsandGunsUK

www.bunsandguns.co.uk