Walking Plan for Weight Loss

Walking to lose weight is convenient, affordable and easy. Other than time and a good pair of shoes, you don't need anything else. Walking can be done when it suits your schedule, can be done indoors or outdoors, on a treadmill, alone or in a group. Losing weight is not the only benefit, either. Walking 30-60 minutes each day can lower blood pressure and reduce risk for heart disease.

  1. Considerations

    • To be successful, take into account your personal preferences. Are you a morning or evening person? Does your schedule make walking for 30-60 minutes a day difficult? Do you prefer a treadmill or walking outdoors? Do you need a partner to help motivate you? Answering these questions is the first step to developing your walking plan.

    Types

    • A walking plan for a busy schedule would break up the walking into three 20-minute sessions. Schedule the sessions when you are most likely to actually do them, such as early in the morning before breakfast, on your way to work, at lunch, after dinner, in the evening.

      A walking plan for a schedule with more flexibility would require walking the hour all at one time but breaking it into segments. Warm up for 2 minutes and then walk one mile in 15 minutes. Stretch out the legs for 3 minutes and then do another mile in 12 minutes. Use three minutes to do some sit-ups or push-ups, if you're able to and then do another mile in 13 minutes. Stretch for another 3 minutes and then walk a cool-down mile over the next 20 minutes. The warm up and stretching do not count toward time spent walking.

      A walking plan based on counting steps will require a pedometer. The goal is to achieve 10,000 steps each day. Everyday activities count and you can monitor your performance by checking the pedometer. If it's 4 p.m. and you only have 6,000 steps done, you will know you need to "step it up." Activities such as walking the dog, parking farther from the grocery store, walking to do errands, parking instead of using drive-through windows will all help achieve the magic number.

      Pedometers are available in many styles and price ranges. When choosing a pedometer, find one that is easy to read, clips comfortably to your clothing and fits your budget. Some pedometer simply count steps. Others will count steps, distance walked, calories burned function silently without annoying clicks. Some come with straps that clip onto your clothing so it won't get damaged or lost if it becomes separated from you. Prices can range from $2.00 to $35.00 depending on quality and features. Consider your needs before investing in a pedometer.

    Customize

    • Once you begin to feel better, you may want to customize your routine. There are some things you can do to increase the intensity of your walks without increasing the time spent. Pump your arms more energetically as you walk. Take smaller, quicker steps that increase your energy output. Walk like professional walkers by placing one foot directly in front of the other, which works a wider range of muscles than your normal stride. Add handheld weights to your routine. Incorporate hills into your walks. The added motion and challenges will burn more calories and elevate your heart rate.

    Motivation

    • Staying with your walking plan can be difficult. It generally takes about 30 days until the exercise begins to feel a part of your everyday routine. Start slowly and build up to any suggested goals. Don't try to go from zero to 60 the first week, especially if you have not exercised in some time. Start with four days per week and build up to seven. Set small, attainable goals such as "losing one pound this week" or increasing the distance you can walk in fifteen minutes by the end of the week. Each milestone you can achieve will motivate you toward continuing your walking plan.

    Effects

    • Using a walking plan for weight loss has many benefits. With the weight loss comes increased cardiovascular performance. You will feel more energetic. You will reduce your blood pressure and lower your risk for breast cancer. If you are experiencing joint pain associated with being overweight, you will notice improvements. Be careful not to overdo it if you are considerably overweight or have been sedentary for a long time. Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

    Weight Loss

    • It is generally accepted that it takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of fat fat. A 30-minute walk at a speed of 3 mph will burn about 188 calories, while increasing the workout to 60 minutes burns 374. If you increase the speed to 4 mph, the same 30-minute walking workout burns 284 and the 60-minute version burns 569. Walking 60 minutes a day, five days a week at a speed of 3 mph would burn 1,870 calories or a little more than .5 pound per week. The amount of calories burned from walking will vary with the age of the person, intensity and duration of the walking workout and dietary intake. As your condition improves and your speed increases, you will burn more.